Japan Coast Guard Issues Salvage Warning in South China Sea as Navy Prepares F-35C Recovery Operations

An F-35C Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter following a crash on USS Carl Vinson CVN-70) on Jan. 24, 2022.

The Navy is preparing salvage operations for an F-35C Lighting II Joint Strike Fighter lost last week, U.S. 7th Fleet told USNI News on Monday.

“The U.S. Navy is making recovery operations arrangements for the F-35C aircraft involved in the crash aboard USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) in the South China Sea,” Cmdr. Hayley Sims told USNI News in a statement.

Though the service did not provide...

https://news.usni.org/2022/01/31/japan-coast-guard-issues-salvage-warning-in-south-china-sea-as-navy-prepares-f-35c-recovery-operations

Crashed F-35C Fell off USS Carl Vinson Flight Deck into South China Sea

An F-35C Lightning II, assigned to the ‘Argonauts’ of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 147, launches off the flight deck of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) on Jan. 14, 2022. US Navy Photo

The F-35C Lighting II Joint Strike Fighter that crashed on the deck of aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) and injured seven sailors was lost over the edge of the flight deck, U.S. 7th Fleet said early Tuesday in a statement.

The Navy said Carl Vinson was able to resume flight...

https://news.usni.org/2022/01/25/crashed-f-35c-fell-off-uss-carl-vinson-flight-deck-into-south-china-sea

Pilot Ejects After F-35 Lightning II ‘Landing Mishap’ on USS Carl Vinson in South China Sea

Sailors taxi an F-35C Lightning II, assigned to the “Argonauts” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 147, on the flight deck of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70), on Jan. 22, 2022. US Navy Photo

An F-35C Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter had a “landing mishap” on the deck of USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) on Monday in the South China Sea, the Navy announced.

The F-35C Lightning II, which is assigned to Carrier Air Wing 2, was conducting routine flight operations in the South China Sea...

https://news.usni.org/2022/01/24/f-35-lightning-ii-has-landing-mishap-on-uss-carl-vinson-in-south-china-sea

Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group Deploys With Marine F-35C Squadron

USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) deploys from San Diego, Calif., on Jan. 3, 2022. US Navy Photo

USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) departed on a scheduled deployment with the first Marine Corps unit to fly F-35C Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters embarked aboard the carrier.

The Nimitz-class Abraham Lincoln pulled out of its homeport in San Diego, Calif., shortly before 9 a.m. local time. The carrier strike group includes guided-missile cruiser USS Mobile Bay (CG-53), Carrier Air Wing Nine and...

https://news.usni.org/2022/01/03/abraham-lincoln-carrier-strike-group-deploys-with-marine-f-35c-squadron

Top Stories 2019: U.S. Navy Acquisition

This post is part of a series of review stories looking back at the top naval news from 2019.

2019 started with a surprise in the Navy budget request: the service needed to buy and test unmanned surface vehicles immediately to reach its ultimate goals for the surface force, and it was willing to sacrifice almost anything – including sidelining an aircraft carrier – to free up the funds to do so.

The year continued with a contract award for the first carrier-based unmanned aircraft, troubles with...

https://news.usni.org/2020/01/03/top-stories-2019-u-s-navy-acquisition

Navy’s $3.2B Unfunded List Includes Asks for Attack Boat Repair Money, ‘Ambulance’ Vessel

The Austal USA EPF medical concept would accommodate a MV-22 Osprey. AUSTAL USA Image

Finding $653 million for a trio of submarines that the Navy is trying to repair in private yards and $49 million to convert a Military Sealift Command ship into an ‘ambulance’ for naval forces top the Navy’s unfunded priorities list that was delivered to Congress on Friday.

The $3.2 billion in spending items the service needs but could not include in the Defense Department’s formal budget request splits the...

https://news.usni.org/2019/03/25/navys-3-2b-unfunded-list-includes-asks-attack-boat-repair-money-ambulance-vessel

Navy Stands Up Joint Strike Fighter Wing to Oversee F-35C Operations, Training, Manning

Two F-35C Lightning II fighter jets, attached to the “Argonauts” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 147, fly in formation for a photo exercise in Lemoore, Calif., Nov. 16, 2018. VFA-147 is the first U.S. Navy Operational F-35C squadron based out of Naval Air Station (NAS) Lemoore. US Navy photo.

The Navy has stood up a Joint Strike Fighter Wing in Lemoore, Calif., that will oversee training, manning and readiness of all the service’s F-35C squadrons.

Capt. Max McCoy, the commodore of the squadron,...

https://news.usni.org/2018/11/29/navy-stands-up-joint-strike-fighter-wing-to-oversee-f-35c-operations-training-manning

All F-35s Grounded for Engine Inspections Following Crash Investigation Findings

Chief Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) John Jacob directs an F-35B Lightning II with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 121 on the flight deck of the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD-1) on March 5, 2018. US Navy Photo

THE PENTAGON — All U.S. and international variants of the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter are grounded to conduct a fleet wide inspection of a part in the aircraft’s engine, according to a Thursday morning statement.

“The action to perform the inspection is driven...

https://news.usni.org/2018/10/11/f-35s-grounded-engine-inspections-following-crash-investigation-findings

Preliminary F-35C Feedback is Positive, As Formal Operational Testing Begins This Fall

An F-35C Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter assigned to the Rough Raiders of Strike Fighter Attack Squadron (VFA) 125 performs a touch and go on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72). US Navy Photo

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Navy is beginning the formal operational testing of its first stealth aircraft to determine how well the F-35C Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter performs against stated goals and requirements, the admiral heading the integration office of...

https://news.usni.org/2018/10/11/navy-positive-after-early-f-35c-carrier-tests