Defense One reports, “The Marine Corps plans to double its buy of the carrier-borne F-35C variant and scale back its buy of the short-takeoff-vertical-landing F-35B, according to a new aviation plan from the service. The service’s total F-35 buy of 420 aircraft remains unchanged, but the service will now buy 280 F-35Bs instead of the planned 353 jets, and 140 F-35Cs instead of the planned 67 jets, according to the 2025 Marine Aviation Plan released Monday. This means the Marines will field 12 F-35B squadrons and eight F-35C squadrons. Notably, the plan also expands the size of F-35 squadrons from 10 to 12 fighters.”
Full Story (Defense One)
Tag: USMC
USMC to Conduct Safety Review Following MV-22 Crash
Aviation Week reports that the new acting head of the US Marine Corps “will elevate the head of safety role to a general officer by next summer as the service conducts a review of its operations with a long-term look to improving its overall focus on safety.” The announcement “comes after a Bell Boeing MV-22 crash.”
Full Story (Aviation Week)
USN, Marines Increase F-35 Collaboration with Asia-Pacific Allies
FlightGlobal reports that US Navy Rear Admiral Christopher Stone “says that work continues to refine missions for the Lockheed Martin F-35, including working closely with operators of the type in the Asia-Pacific.” Admiral Stone “is the commander of Task Force 76/3, an experimental unit formed in 2022 that seeks to more deeply integrate the USN and US Marine Corps (USMC) at the leadership and operational levels in the Asia-Pacific region.” A focus “is improving joint capabilities amid the growing military threat from China.” The task force “comprises 11 warships centered on USS America, an amphibious assault ship that operates three USMC types: the short take-off and vertical landing version of the F-35, the F-35B, in addition to rotorcraft such as the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey and Sikorsky CH-53K.” Stone said of the F-35, “These fifth-generation aircraft are incredibly capable. The capabilities that the aircraft itself provides in terms of sensor coverage and weapons capability are truly breathtaking.”
Full Story (FlightGlobal – subscription publication)
USN, USMC Want to Maintain F-35 Production, End KC-130J Production After 2024
Aviation Week reports the US Navy and Marine Corps “want to maintain production of the Lockheed Martin F-35B and F-35C at a steady rate over the next five years and end KC-130J production after 2024, while not requesting any F/A-18E/Fs, E-2Ds or V-22s, according to the fiscal 2024 budget request.” Janes reports the USN’s “budget requested USD17.3 billion to purchase 88 aircraft and helicopters, including spare parts, support equipment, and facilities.” The service “intends to spend USD4.9 billion dollars to procure Lockheed Martin F-35s. USD2.3 billion is meant to purchase 16 F-35Bs, the vertical-takeoff-and-landing (VTOL) aircraft flown by the US Marine Corps (USMC). The F-35Bs will replace Boeing AV-8Bs and F/A-18C/Ds. Another USD2.6 billion is slated for 19 F-35Cs, the conventional aircraft carrier-capable variant flown mainly by the USN. 15 of the C-models will go to the Navy, while the remaining 4 will go to the US Marine Corps.” According to Janes, the “other major purchase is the Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion, designated to replace the CH-53E as the USMC’s heavy-lift helicopter. The USN allocated USD2.16 billion to purchase 15 of the King Stallion helicopters.”
Full Story (Aviation Week); More Info (Janes)
USMC to Receive MQ-9A Reapers in August, Prepare for Revamped MUX
FlightGlobal reports that the US Marine Corps is to receive two MQ-9A Reapers in August to increase its ISR capabilities over the Indian and Pacific Oceans. The MQ-9A Reapers are also being used to “inform future requirements for the service’s revamped MUX (Marine Air-Ground Task Force Unmanned Aircraft System Expeditionary)” program. The MUX program, an effort to buy a multi-purpose VTOL UAV, was put on hold in 2020. The US Marine Corps plans to buy 18 MQ-9As “with additional UAVs to be acquired starting in 2022.”
Full Story (FlightGlobal)
USMC Releases New Aviation Plan
Seapower Magazine reports that the 2022 Marine Corps Aviation Plan, released this week, reduces the “number of F-35Bs in some squadrons from 16 to 10 aircraft.” Lt. Gen. Mark Wise, deputy commandant for Aviation, told reporters on Monday that the change in the numbers in the F-35 squadrons “really had to do with what is the optimum way, so starting with the requirement and moving backwards.”
Full Story (Seapower Magazine)
CH-53K Completes USMC Testing, Evaluation
ExecutiveGov reports that the CH-53K helicopter “has made testing progress toward initial operational capability later in the year and the green light for full-rate production in 2023.” The helicopter “underwent seven months of initial operational test and evaluation through March under Marine Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron One in North Carolina.”
Full Story (ExecutiveGov)
USMC Receives Extended Range MQ-9A RPAS from General Atomics
Unmanned Systems Technology reports, “General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) has delivered an MQ-9A Reaper® Block 5 Extended Range (ER) Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) to the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC). The aircraft was officially handed over on April 22, 2025, and is now assigned to Marine Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron One (VMX-1), located at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma in Arizona.”
Full Story (Unmanned Systems Technology)