Marine Corps F-35s will participate in Red Flag this summer

The F-35 Joint Program Office recently announced Marine Corps F-35B short-takeoff-and-vertical-landing jets will participate in the Air Force's Red Flag exercise this summer.

The JPO needs five Lockheed Martin personnel to assist in deploying the aircraft from Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, AZ to Nellis Air Force Base, NV from June 28 through July 29, according to a May 5 presolicitation posted on the Federal Business Opportunities website.

Inside the Navy previously reported that when the F-35B participated in Red Flag 16-3, despite software glitches, Marine Fighter Attack Squadron-121 had a 98 percent sortie completion.

Maj. Michael O'Brien, Marine Fighter Attack Squadron-121 operations officer, told ITN in August 2016 the squadron only had one sortie where it was unable to provide aircraft during the exercise. The six Marine Corps F-35B aircraft used during the exercise were operating with two different versions of Block 3i software. It was not the same version of Block 3i the Air Force was using on its F-35s for which the service recently identified for initial operational capability.