Marines, Air Force Fight as Joint Force for First Time in Navy’s Joint Simulation Environment
Posted on April 1, 2025 by Seapower Staff
From Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Apr. 1, 2025
NAS PATUXENT RIVER, Md. — For the first time, U.S. Marine Corps F-35 and Air Force F-22 pilots trained as a joint fighting force in the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division‘s (NAWCAD) Joint Simulation Environment (JSE) at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, March 24-27.
The training event brought eight U.S. Marine Corps F-35s to train alongside four Air Force F-22 Raptors in the DOD’s most advanced digital test and training range.
“This milestone is a game-changer that ushers in a new era of interoperability for aviation’s combat community and served as a pivotal exercise getting NAWCAD ready to make this joint training standard for Navy and Air Force fighters starting this spring,” said NAWCAD Commander Rear Adm. John Dougherty IV.
During the event, F-35B and F-35C pilots from Marine Fighter Attack Squadrons (VMFA) VMFA-122, VMFA-225, and VMFA-311 trained with several F-22 pilots from the Combat Air Forces and test community. Over two days, F-35 and F-22 pilots practiced fifth generation fighting together in 17 simulated combat missions against advanced enemy threats only available at JSE. After each mission, the pilots reviewed their performance using cockpit video and audio recordings.
https://seapowermagazine.org/marines-air-force-fight-as-a-joint-force-for-the-first-time-in-the-navys-joint-simulation-environment/
