US Marines Corps' F-35 fighter jet poised for combat debut - F-35 fighter jet.jpg ...

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The US Marine Corps' stealth F-35B Lightning fighter jet could fly its first
combat mission within days, according to several US defense officials, who told
CNN that the fifth-generation aircraft are currently aboard the USS Essex
amphibious assault ship and should soon be in a position to conduct airstrikes
over Afghanistan.

The USS Essex has already sailed from the Gulf of Aden into the North Arabian
Sea and is expected to move into the Persian Gulf in coming days, one official
said.

F-35 pilots have been conducting intelligence and surveillance missions in
Somalia while on standby to conduct air support for US troops on the ground
there if needed.

While available for support, the advanced fighter jet was not used in an
airstrike over Somalia on Saturday that killed 18 militants after US and local
forces came under attack.

In May, Israel Defense Forces said they were using their version of the F-35 in
operational missions, striking at least two unspecified targets in the region.

That announcement marked the first time that the F-35 had been used in an actual
combat situation -- a significant moment given the program's checkered past.

The F-35 fighter jet is touted as the future of military aviation; a lethal and
versatile aircraft that combines stealth capabilities, supersonic speed, extreme
agility and state-of-the-art sensor fusion technology, according to Lockheed
Martin, the plane's primary contractor.

The F-35B is one of three variants of the F-35 aircraft and the only one with
the ability to land vertically like a helicopter. It can also takeoff in a much
shorter space than other fighter jets, which is why it can operate off the
Essex, a warship only half the size of the 100,000-ton aircraft carriers in the
US fleet.

However, the aircraft, which is the most expensive weapons system in history,
has also drawn sharp criticism in recent years after facing a long list of
setbacks -- including problems with software, engines and weapon systems.

And critics have continued to express skepticism about the F-35's combat
capability despite reassurances by US military leaders who say the kinks are
being worked out.

The US Marine Corps declared it's first squadron of F-35s ready for deployment
in July 2015. The Air Force said its version of the aircraft was combat ready in
August 2016.

The Marine Corps accomplished a significant milestone last year by deploying its
variant to Japan -- the aircraft's first permanent overseas deployment.

The F-35 has been a favorite of President Donald Trump who has lauded the
aircraft several times for being 'invisible." The aircraft has reduced
capability to be seen by adversary radars but is not invisible.




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