31st MEU F-35 flies over Thailand for first time ever

An F-35B Lightning II fighter aircraft assigned to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 265 (Reinforced) lands on the flight deck of amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6) in support of Exercise Cobra Gold 2020, Feb. 29, 2020. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Rufus Hucks)

 

SATTAHIP:--attahip – Exercise Cobra Gold 2020 held its closing ceremony and culminating combined arms live-fire exercise March 6, 2020, successfully concluding the 39th integration of the largest combined military exercise in the Indo-Pacific region. This year the exercise included a brand new participant: the F-35B Lightning II fighter aircraft.

 

The F-35s, assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 265 (Reinforced), 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, made their first appearance during the Thai-U.S. Amphibious Exercise at Hat Yao Beach, Chonburi Province, February 28, 2020. During the initial phases of the beach seizure, two F-35s provided coverage of the landing craft and aerial assault aircraft, prior to providing a show of force across the beach in support of the landing force.

 

 

At Ban Dan Lan Hoi training area in Sukhothai Province, the F-35, launching from the flight deck of amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6), provided support to the Thai-U.S. Fire Support Coordination Exercise throughout the week, providing close air support with GBU-12 500 lb. laser-guided bombs. During this and other live-fire evolutions, four GBU-12s were expended at night for the first time ever, with the coordination of fires being provided by both Thai and U.S. Joint Terminal Attack Controllers.

 

Read more: https://www.pattayamail.com/featured/31st-meu-f-35-flies-over-thailand-for-first-time-ever-290667

-- PATTAYA MAIL 2020-03-10—

How many will take the Covid-19 back on board with them after their R&R to Pattaya and other places visited here in Thailand .

2 hours ago, keith101 said:

How many will take the Covid-19 back on board with them after their R&R to Pattaya and other places visited here in Thailand .

Lets hope zero. There were soldiers from several nations together including Thai's. Unlikely to be just one case if there are more than zero. Even some probably left in Thailand would be expected if there were more than zero cases.

2 hours ago, keith101 said:

How many will take the Covid-19 back on board with them after their R&R to Pattaya and other places visited here in Thailand .

And not just Covid 19

I bet the Chinese were keeping a close watch!

Beautiful.

how much is one little bird ?

5 hours ago, keith101 said:

How many will take the Covid-19 back on board with them after their R&R to Pattaya and other places visited here in Thailand .

None, because the Thais disinfected soi 6 and Walking Street. You really need to keep up !!    ????????????

44 minutes ago, justin case said:

how much is one little bird ?

Don't worry, you could not even afford the ammo.

A news Troll post removed also a post from someone who thinks this is twitter or snapchat

5 hours ago, justin case said:

how much is one little bird ?

Around $90M US.

Thinking of buying one?

Ah Cobra Gold, my first introduction to Thailand many years ago.  Good to see it is still going on contrary to the opinion of many. 

 

Will be interesting to see the F-35 mature. 

10 hours ago, Burma Bill said:

I bet the Chinese were keeping a close watch!

Of course!  This was a show put-on specifically for China.

14 hours ago, keith101 said:

How many will take the Covid-19 back on board with them after their R&R to Pattaya and other places visited here in Thailand .

I believe the USN will be maintaining quarantine of each ship as they sail back to home port.  The sailors will be too broke after Pattaya to go anywhere anyway!

good article....but no mention of what kinda engine powers the aircraft ??

does it have a RB 199, P & W, C F M or rolls royce engine on it??

17 hours ago, justin case said:

how much is one little bird ?

80 million U S D ...

1 hour ago, essox essox said:

good article....but no mention of what kinda engine powers the aircraft ??

does it have a RB 199, P & W, C F M or rolls royce engine on it??

Pratt & Whitney's F135 propulsion system is the engine of choice for the F-35 Lightning II, fifth generation, advanced, single-engine tactical fighter developed by Lockheed Martin in conjunction with BAE Systems and Northrop Grumman.

Saw a tiltrotor aircraft fly over the house the other day... obviously of a US ship nearby. What is that likely to be, an Osprey?

9 hours ago, Iron Tongue said:

I believe the USN will be maintaining quarantine of each ship as they sail back to home port.  The sailors will be too broke after Pattaya to go anywhere anyway!

Actually I was just in Pattaya and Soi 6. The US sailors are travelling in groups and shy to take girls. Never seen a bunch of red faced shy US Navy boys in my life. Made me a bit shy to see it. So they will have all their money.

On 3/11/2020 at 2:17 AM, essox essox said:

good article....but no mention of what kinda engine powers the aircraft ??

does it have a RB 199, P & W, C F M or rolls royce engine on it??

Good to see someone actually talking about the topic which is the aircraft

On 3/10/2020 at 10:14 PM, BigBadGeordie said:

Around $90M US.

Thinking of buying one?

I ll have 2 please ...but can I have them with closing windows?