U.S. Marines: F-35B Fighter Is Now Ready For Combat.

Lockheed Martin

Bloomberg: U.S. Marines Declare F-35B Ready for Limited Combat Duty

The Marine Corps has declared its version of Lockheed Martin Corp.’s F-35 fighter ready for limited combat operations, a milestone for the Pentagon’s costliest weapons program, according to three people familiar with the decision.

General Joseph Dunford, the Marine Corps commandant, made the decision, according to the people, who asked not to be identified in advance of an announcement expected on Friday afternoon. Members of Congress were being notified of the decision.

The declaration of “initial operational capability” came more than five years later than originally predicted in 2001, when the F-35 program began. Earlier delays resulted from difficulties in reducing the plane’s weight, with its propulsion system and with reliability.

Shortcomings in the current version of the fighter’s software limit how many weapons it can carry and how many planes can share data during a mission.

More News On The U.S. Marines Announcing That The F-35B Fighter Is Now Ready For Combat

Marines: F-35B Squadron Ready for Worldwide Deployment -- US Department of Defense
Marine Corps Announces F-35B Fighter Jet Ready for Initial Operations -- DoD Buzz
Marines Declare F-35B Operational -- Defense News
U.S. Marines declare initial F-35 squadron ready for combat -- Reuters
Marine Version Of F-35 Deemed 'Combat Ready' -- NPR
First F-35 fighter jets declared ‘combat ready’ by Marines -- Star Telegram
Marine Corps Declares Its Problem-Plagued F-35 Ready for Combat -- Fiscal Times
First F-35 squadron ready for deployment -- The Hill
First operational F-35 squadron declared ready for combat -- Flight Global
F-35 fighter declared ready to deploy -- Washington Examiner
Much criticized F-35 goes operational for Marines -- Stars and Stripes
The Marines say the controversial F-35 fighter is now ready for combat. Now what? -- Christian Davenport, Washington Post