U.S. Navy

Sailors assigned to the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) marked a significant milestone this week when F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters from Marine Fighter Squadron (VMFA) 542 landed on the ship’s flight deck on February 10, 2026. The event represents the first time F-35B Lightning IIs have conducted operations aboard Kearsarge.

Amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge achieves milestone as F-35B Lightning II jets conduct first flight operations

Sailors assigned to the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) marked a significant milestone this week when F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters from Marine Fighter Squadron (VMFA) 542 landed on the ship’s flight deck on February 10, 2026.

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The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford and its escort ships are sailing across the Atlantic Ocean and heading for the Strait of Gibraltar as they reposition for operations in the U.S. Central Command region amid heightened tensions with Iran. A U.S. Navy official confirmed to USNI News that the carrier strike group is en route to the Middle East to join the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, which is currently operating in the Arabian Sea as the U.S. engages in negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program.

USS Gerald R. Ford sailing to U.S. Central Command area of responsibility as deployment nears record duration

The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford and its escort ships are sailing across the Atlantic Ocean and heading for the Strait of Gibraltar as they reposition for operations in the U.S. Central Command region amid heightened tensions with Iran.

USS Gerald R. Ford sailing to U.S. Central Command area of responsibility as deployment nears record duration Read More »