Marine Corps F-35C Was Used in Combat for First Time to Strike Houthis, Military Confirms

The Marine Corps F-35C Lightning II aircraft debuted its combat airstrike capabilities for the first time earlier this month when it targeted weapon storage facilities in Houthi-controlled parts of Yemen, the Navy confirmed in a press release on Wednesday.

The Pentagon previously said that the F-35C launched from the USS Abraham Lincoln in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility over a week ago. CENTCOM also posted a video of the fifth-generation aircraft taking off from the aircraft carrier.

Now, the military has confirmed that between Nov. 9 and 10, the Marine Corps variant of the jet conducted the airstrikes for the first time in its operational history. Specifically, the press release said that it conducted multiple strikes against the Iran-backed Houthis, targeting anti-ship missiles that have been used against commercial and military ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

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The aircraft belonged to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 314, or VMFA-314, based out of Miramar, California. It is the only forward-deployed F-35 squadron in the Marine Corps, the press release said, and the jet's debut combat employment comes just over a year after the region was sunk into turmoil following Hamas' surprise attack against Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

"The F-35C demonstrated its warfighting advantage by transiting contested airspace and striking targets in the heart of Houthi territory over multiple days," Lt. Col. Jeffrey "Wiki" Davis, commanding officer of VMFA-314, said in the press release. "My Marines are honored to be first to fight with the F-35C."

The War Zone first speculated a week ago that the F-35C's launch -- captured on CENTCOM video -- was likely the first time it was employed in combat.

Traveling at speeds of 1,200 mph, the F-35C can carry Joint Direct Attack Munitions, or JDAMs, air-to-air missiles and other ordnance. It was not clear which type of munition was used for the strikes earlier this month.

"The offensive and defensive capabilities of the F-35C absolutely enhance our air wing's striking arm," Capt. Gerry "Dutch" Tritz, commander, Carrier Air Wing 9 -- which the Marine jets were attached to -- said. "The now battle-tested air wing of the future has proven itself a game-changer across all carrier air wing missions."

The F-35 is used by the Navy and the Air Force as well and includes two other variations -- the F-35A and the F-35B. According to the press release, the F-35B was deployed in combat for the first time in 2018 against the Taliban and ISIS. A year later, the Air Force deployed the F-35A against ISIS in Iraq.

VMFA-314, also known as the "Black Knights," was the first Marine Corps squadron to receive the F-35C in 2020, the press release said.

Military.com previously reported that seven U.S. warships deployed to the Middle East to fight the Houthis were awarded for combat, encountering 20 instances of combat between October and April. Marines, sailors and Coast Guardsmen were also awarded for seizing millions of pounds of "precursor explosive material," this publication first reported in June.

The Marine Corps has rotated Marine Expeditionary Units, or MEUs, to the Mediterranean as a deterrent measure in the aftermath of the Oct. 7 attack and Israel's subsequent war against Hamas in Gaza. After having its deployment extended, the 26th MEU out of Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, was replaced by the 24th MEU as part of the Wasp Amphibious Ready Group.

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