By 2025, the Marine Corps could equip all seven amphibious assault ships with Joint Strike Fighters as another option for combatant commanders, according to the latest iteration of the service's aviation plan . The plan follows a proof of concept, known as the Carrier Lightning demonstration, aboard the America (LHA-6) in the fall. The demonstration integrated a larger than usual number of F-35B short-takeoff-and-vertical-landing jets aboard an amphibious assault ship, Col. George “Sack” Rowell, Marine Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron-1...
