F-35 will stir up the Middle East war in 2018
The new US fighter F-35 could appear in combat in 2018, Popular Mechanics reports.
US Marines to test F-35 in Middle East
Popular Mechanics quoted sources from The Marine Corps Times saying that the US Marine Corps will send F-35 aircraft to two of its expeditionary units in the Middle East and Pacific regions.
In missions in the Middle East the aircraft could be used in conflicts in which US forces are currently involved.
US F-35 to appear in Middle East war in 2018
Specifically, the US Marine Corps will send F-35Bs to two of its expeditionary battalions. One battalion from the east coast will be sent to the Asia-Pacific region, where they can be stationed near the coast of North Korea.
A battalion from the West Coast will be sent to the Middle East, where they could stop in Syria or Iraq, Libya and Yemen.
US aircraft could carry out airstrikes in all three areas, and the F-35B could also conduct its own missions there.
F-35B will join the fight when America is in trouble
The Marine Corps Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) is an independent combat unit consisting of ground combat, air combat, and a logistics element under a common command element.
The force typically consists of 2,200 infantry battalions, augmented by armor, artillery, engineering, medical and logistics units. Such a battalion can have 30 aircraft, including F-35s, MV-22s, CH-53s, AH-1Z attack helicopters and UH-1Y modified multi-mission helicopters.
These expeditionary battalions have previously received six AV-8B vertical take-off and landing aircraft, and they may receive a similar number of F-35B fighter jets.
In addition to its scheduled missions, MAGTF expeditionary battalions provide a mobile, rapid-reaction force capable of operating from behind enemy lines to conduct amphibious assaults, conventional or unconventional combat operations, evacuate Americans from crisis areas, and provide humanitarian assistance in the event of natural disasters.
In fact, the MAGTF expeditionary force group is also incorporated into the Marine Corps, ready to land if any trouble arises.
In 2015, the US Marine Corps announced the combat characteristics of the F-35B jet, meaning they are ready to use them to perform a number of combat missions in the future.
To attack ground targets, the F-35B uses satellite-guided GBU-32 precision-strike bombs and laser-guided GBU-12 Paveway II bombs. To attack aerial targets, the aircraft uses “air-to-air” class missiles such as the AIM-120C AMRAAM.
