Homeward Bound / F-35B Lightning II & F-18 Hornets (Photography)

The Department of Defense's first production F-35B Lightning II joint strike fighter flies toward its new home at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, escorted by Marine Corps F-18 Hornets.

The Marine Corps variant of the Joint Strike Fighter belongs to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 501 (the Marines of VMFAT-501 received two F-35Bs in January 2011), and features a vertical lift fan and pivoting engine nozzle to deliver vertical landing and short takeoff capability to expeditionary airfields. The F-35 replaced the AV-8B Harrier II in the Marine Corps inventory.

Photographer: Staff Sergeant Joely Santiago, USAF
Date: January 11, 2011
Location: Florida