First USMC F-35C deploys with US Navy Wing

The Nimitz class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) departed Naval Base Coronado/NAS North Island (CA) on 3 January 2022 for a scheduled deployment.

The Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group (CSG) consists of Carrier Strike Group 3, USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9, Destroyer Squadron 21, the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Mobile Bay (CG 53), and the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62), USS Gridley (DDG 101), USS Sampson (DDG 102) and USS Spruance (DDG 111).

First timers with this Carrier Air Wing on the Abraham Lincoln are Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 314 Black Knights ('VW-3xx') with the F-35C Lightning IIs and Fleet Logistics Multi-Mission Squadron (VRM) 30 Titans with the CMV-22B Osprey.

The USMC F-35Cs are deploying for the first time with a US Navy wing. On 1 July 2021, VMFA-314 Black Knights declared full operational capability (FOC) on the F-35C. With this milestone, VMFA-314 was the first F-35C squadron in the USMC to declare FOC. Read more in the Scramble Magazine news item of 5 July 2021.

The embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9 includes a total of nine squadrons and detachments:

VFA-41 Black Aces, F/A-18F, 'NG-1xx'
VFA-14 Tophatters, F/A-18E, 'NG-2xx'
VMFA-314 Black Knights, F-35C, 'NG-3xx'
VFA-151 Vigilantes, F/A-18E, 'NG-4xx'
VAQ-133 Wizards, EA-18G, 'NG-5xx'
VAW-117 Wallbangers, E-2D, 'NG-6xx'
HSC-14 Chargers, MH-60S, 'NG-61x'
HSM-71 Raptors, MH-60R, 'NG-7xx'
VRM-30 Det.2 Titans, CMV-22B, 'xx'

Photo by Dan Stijovich (via AirHistory.net)