F-35B Joint Strike Fighter on the MEU: Innovation or Just New Techology?

The introduction of the F-35B provides the USMC an opportunity to rexamine the requirements and redefine the capabilities of the fixed wing component of the Aviation Combat Element ACE within the Marine Expeditionary Unit MEU. The current six-plane detachment provided by the AV-8B maintains several shortfalls within the overall operating philosophy of USMC aviation. The F-35B now expands the mission set across all six functions of Marine Corps Aviation. The expectations of additional mission requirements, expectation to operate in A2AD environments, increased avionics will require a greater sortie generation capability than currently provided by the six 6 AV-8Bs. This paper analyzes the current shortfalls inherent in the current six-plane model and proposes one possible solution consisting of eight 8 F- 35Bs. This solution generates capability options in line with current and expected sortie generation requirements as well as possible future operating concepts in distributed operations.