The Marine Corps received the first of four F-35B strike fighters assigned to start the service’s F-35 operational test and evaluation efforts at Edwards AFB, Calif. The aircraft, which arrived on Oct. 9, is the only fixed-wing asset assigned to the marine’s Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron 22, which handles the service’s operational testing at Edwards. “The addition of the F-35B at VMX-22 will help to develop increased capabilities and interoperability of the Aviation Combat Elements to support the Marine Air/Ground Task Force of the 21st century,” said VMX-22 commanding officer marine Col. Robert Rauenhorst, in a service release. Additional tests will take place at China Lake and Twenty-nine Palms in California, Nellis AFB, Nev., MCAS Yuma, Ariz., and shipboard on the assault carrier USS Wasp, wrapping up in 2018, according to the service.
A recent seven-day exercise sent Air Force F-22s—along with other USAF aircraft—to austere, challenging environments across Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. Agile Reaper, taking place for the second time after its inaugural edition last year, featured 800 Airmen and 29 aircraft across five different locations from April 10-16, training…