The Marine Corps announced Thursday that its Fighter Attack Squadron 314 declared full operational capability for the F-35C Lightning II.
This is the first FOC declaration for Marine Corp, confirming that VMFA-314 is prepared and equipped to board U.S. Navy aircraft carriers, according to the Marines.
The first F-35C jet arrived at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar on Jan. 21.
"VMFA-314 is the first F-35C squadron in the Marine Corps to declare FOC. They will deploy as part of a Carrier Strike Group next year," Maj. Gen. Christopher Mahoney said Thursday in a press release.
Initial operational capability for the F-35C Lightning II was achieved in Dec. 2020.
"The successful transition of the Black Knights to the F-35C culminating in this IOC declaration is a testament to the squadron's distinguished legacy of pioneering new aircraft," Lt. Col. Brendan Walsh, VMFA-314 commanding officer, said in a press release at the time.
The F-35B squadron has yet to achieve FOC, though it reached IOC in July 2015.
It made its combat debut in 2018, conducting its first strike on Afghanistan.
The Air Force's F-35A achieved IOC in 2016.
"The F-35C's unique capabilities, compared to the F-35B and legacy aircraft, provide the Marine Corps with a complementary increase in combat projection and the ability to operate from the U.S. Navy's aircraft carriers," said Lt. Col. Duncan French, VMFA-314 executive officer, in the Dec. 2020 press release.
