"The F-35 program executive officer, has stated that the 'F-35 enjoys a significant Combat Loss Exchange Ratio advantage over the current and future air-to-air threats, to include Sukhois, which are currently being flown by the Russian, Indian, and Chinese Air Forces.'"
- Maj Gen Charles R. Davis, USAF, the F-35 program executive officer

The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is a fifth-generation, single-seat, single-engine, stealth-capable military strike fighter, a multirole aircraft that can perform close air support, tactical bombing, and air superiority fighter missions. The F-35 has three different models; one is the conventional takeoff and landing variant, the second is short takeoff and vertical-landing variant, and the third is a carrier-based variant.

The F-35 is descended from the X-35, the product of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program. Its development is being principally funded by the United States, with the United Kingdom, and other partner governments providing additional funding. It is being designed and built by an aerospace industry team led by Lockheed Martin with Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems as major partners. Demonstrator aircraft flew in 2000, with the first flight on December 15th, 2006.

The F-35C combines this unique capability of operating from a carrier deck with the unmatched 5th Generation capabilities of stealth, fused sensors and reliability, making the F-35C the Navy?s future first-day-of-the-war strike fighter.

The Navy and Marines require an aircraft capable of overcoming a variety of threats - surface-to-air missiles, air-to-air missiles and tactical aircraft. By leveraging this potent combination of stealth, advanced jamming and threat system destruction, the F-35C enhances survivability and increases mission success rates.

The F-35C variant has larger wings and more robust landing gear than the other variants, making it suitable for catapult launches and fly-in arrestments aboard naval aircraft carriers. Its wingtips also fold to allow for more room on the carrier?s deck while deployed.

The F-35C also has the greatest internal fuel capacity of the three F-35 variants. The F-35C carries nearly 20,000 pounds of internal fuel for longer range and better persistence than any other fighter in a combat configuration. And, like the F-35B, the F-35C uses probe and drogue refueling. This allows the Navy to operate its carriers a safe distance from the threat while its fighters reach remote targets.

Pictured here is a 1:72 scale replica of a US Navy Lockheed-Martin F-35C Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter that was attached to VMFA-251 "The Thunderbolts", then deployed to MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina, during 2024. Pre-order! Ship Date: August 2025.

Dimensions:
Wingspan: 7-1/4-inches
Length: 8-1/2-inches

Release Date: ?

Historical Account: "T-Bolts" - After the September 11th attacks, VMFA-251 deployed aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt on 19 September 2001 with Carrier Air Wing One (CVW-1). On October 15th, 2001, the strike group entered the North Arabian Sea, joining the already-present Enterprise and Carl Vinson in conducting attacks against al-Qaeda in Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom. Departing Norfolk on September 19th, 2001. Theodore Roosevelt and CVW-1 spent 159 consecutive days at sea, breaking the record for the longest period underway since World War II.

On February 12th, 2003, the squadron deployed to Ahmed Al Jaber Airbase, Kuwait as part of Marine Aircraft Group 11, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). On February 20th, 2003, the squadron began flying combat missions in support of Operation Southern Watch and then transitioned to combat operations in support of OIF on March 20th, 2003. During the conflict Thunderbolts flew over 650 combat missions over Iraq, accumulating more than 1,200 combat flight hours and dropped more than 7,100 weapons amounting to approximately 832,000 pounds of ordnance. Throughout the deployment maintenance Marines performed over 8,000 maintenance man-hours resulting in a 76% full mission capable rate.

In 2006, the squadron deployed to Al Asad, Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). Upon their return they again deployed, this time on board the USS Enterprise (CVN-65). They were away from June to December 2007 and flew combat sorties in support of OIF and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) in Afghanistan.

VMFA-251, known as the "Thunderbolts" or "T-Bolts," was deactivated during a ceremony on April 23rd, 2020, aboard MCAS Beaufort, South Carolina, after returning from a deployment in 2020 in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. The Thunderbolts' deactivation concluded its 34 years as a F/A-18 Hornet squadron. The squadron was relocated to MCAS Cherry Point to begin its F-35 transition and is currently going through the process of official reactivation and working towards receiving its Safe for Flight certification. VMFA-251 has received its first F-35C as of September 17th, 2024. and was reactivated on December 5th, 2024.