F-35 Cancelled, then what ?

[Heathrow Harry]

http://www.aviation.marines.mil/Port...an%20FINAL.pdf

ORGANIZATION
The F‐35B and F‐35C will replace F/A‐18, AV‐8B, and EA‐6B. The Marine Corps will procure a total of 420 F‐35s (353 F‐35Bs and 67 F‐35 Cs) in the following squadron configurations:
1) 9 Squadrons x 16 F‐35B
2) 5 Squadrons x 10 F‐35B
3) 4 Squadrons x 10 F‐35C
4) 2 Squadrons x 10 F‐35B reserve
5) 2 Squadrons x 25 F‐35B Fleet Readiness Squadron (FRS)

The aircraft is currently tracking to reach its full program‐of‐record operational capability (Block 3F) in calendar year 2018.
The full transition from legacy to F‐35 will complete with the transition of the second reserve squadron in 2031.

F/A‐18A‐D HORNET (VMFA) PLAN VALUE TO THE MAGTF
The F/A‐18A‐D Hornet, with its complement of advance precision guided weapons, advanced LITENING targeting pod, network interoperability, and beyond visual range air‐to‐air missiles provides relevant and lethal
capability to the MAGTF and combatant commanders.

F/A‐18s remain the primary bridging platform to F‐35B/C with a planned sunset of 2030. Hornets will consolidate on the west coast by 2027 with the exception of VMFA (AW)‐242, which will remain assigned to MAG‐12
at MCAS Iwakuni until a scheduled F‐35B transition in 2028. The F/A‐18A‐D community continues combat operations for the sixteenth straight year as Hornets support Operation INHERENT RESOLVE: Land‐
based with SPMAGTF‐CR and shipboard on aircraft carrier deployments as part of our TACAIR Integration (TAI) commitment. The USMC fleet will have 10 active squadrons and one reserve squadron in
2018.

As transition to F‐35 continues, VMFAT‐101 will sundown in FY23 and VMFA‐323 will assume aircrew training responsibilities through FY29

ORGANIZATION
F/A‐18A‐D squadrons are assigned to MAG‐31 at MCAS Beaufort, SC
,
MAG‐11 at MCAS Miramar, CA, MAG‐12 at MCAS Iwakuni, JP, and MAG‐41 at JRB Fort Worth, TX :
1) MAG‐31: (1) F/A‐18A++/C+ (2) F/A‐18C (2) F/A‐18D
2) MAG‐11: (1) F/A‐18A++ (2) F/A‐18C (1) F/A18‐D (1) FRS
3) MAG‐12: (1) F/A‐18D
4) MAG‐41: (1) F/A‐18A++/C+ (reserves)
5) Two Squadrons x 25 F‐35B FRS (transition squadrons