Today's US Navy Photos & Videos

Nice! F-35 Lightning II version 3.0 Beta Test August 14, 2016.



In the mean time, did you know that three years ago F-35B short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) BF-1 aircraft completed the "Bravo" variant's 500th vertical landing August 3, 2013?

My how time flies...and so does the F-35!

BF-1, the aircraft which completed the 500th vertical take off, also accomplished the variant’s very first vertical landing in March 2010 at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md.

Good stuff!

The second America Class LHA, the USS Tripoli, LHA-7, is coming along nicely.

Here is the Island (700 ton) being lifted onto the main deck.



Here is a video of the same:


an a video of an earlier lift on the Tripoli. She is really coming aling.


She will be launching within the year. she is the second aircraft centric LHA, built specifically to give the US Marines their own organic and strng air support and air dominance vessel without having to have a CVN nearby.

They are building two so that one is always available if needed...though I imagine they will be based on opposite coasts.

LHA-8 and the other LHAs after that will revert back to the well deck with less aircraft capability...though at any time any of the LHDs or LHAs can be made over into Sea Control vessels if necessary.

ARABIAN GULF (Aug. 11, 2016) An MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter assigned to the Dusty Dogs of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 7 flies over the U.S. Coast Guard Island-class patrol cutter USCGC Monomoy (WPB 1326) during an exercise with the guided-missile destroyer USS Stout (DDG 55). Stout, deployed as part of the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group, is supporting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Bill Dodge/Released)

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ATLANTIC OCEAN (Aug. 14, 2016) F-35C Lightning II carrier variants, assigned to the Salty Dogs of Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 23, prepare to take off from the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73). VX-23 is conducting its third and final developmental test (DT-III) phase aboard George Washington in the Atlantic Ocean. The F-35C is expected to be Fleet operational in 2018. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Alora R. Blosch/Released)

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...the USN is getting it's money worth out of CVN-73 before she goes in for the 4 year a mid-life nuclear refueling and comprehensive overhaul (RCOH) .

ATLANTIC OCEAN (Aug. 14, 2016) An F-35C Lightning II carrier variant, assigned to the Salty Dogs of Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 23, taxis on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73). VX-23 is conducting its third and final developmental test (DT-III) phase aboard George Washington in the Atlantic Ocean. The F-35C is expected to be Fleet operational in 2018. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Alora R. Blosch/Released)

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MARINETTE, Wisc. (July 14, 2016) The future USS Detroit (LCS 7) conducts acceptance trials. Acceptance trials are the last significant milestone before delivery of the ship to the Navy. (U.S. Navy Photos courtesy of Lockheed Martin-Michael Rote/Released)

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Wont be long now. A new class of nuclear powered super-carrier will soon take to the seas.

US Navy F-35C performing their third carrier deck and flight operational testing at sea off of the USS George Washington, CVN-73:.



Get some!

ATLANTIC OCEAN (Aug. 15, 2016) F-35C Lightning II carrier variant, assigned to the Salty Dogs of Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 23, conduct flight operations aboard the aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73). VX-23 is conducting its third and final developmental test (DT-III) phase aboard George Washington in the Atlantic Ocean. The F-35C is expected to be Fleet operational in 2018. (U.S. Navy photos by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Wyatt L. Anthony, Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice Krystofer Belknap & Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Alex L. Smedegard/Released)/Released)/Released)

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ATLANTIC OCEAN (Aug. 15, 2016) An F-35C Lightning II carrier variant joint strike fighter assigned to the Grim Reapers of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 101 launches from the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73). VFA-101 aircraft and pilots are conducting initial qualifications aboard George Washington in the Atlantic Ocean. The F-35C is expected to be Fleet operational in 2018. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Bryan Mai, & Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Alex L. Smedegard /Released)

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More F-35 DT III aboard the USS George Washington:

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Naval Today said:

F-35C Lightning II carrier variant aircraft and their crew landed aboard USS George Washington (CVN 73) on August 14 to complete developmental testing (DT-III).

Tests of the Navy’s newest strike fighter will be carried out by Patuxent River Integrated Test Force team of test pilots, engineers and squadron Sailors and Marines.

The testing is the final at-sea stage in preparation of the initial operational capability (IOC) slated for 2018.

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Apparently the testing is going better than expected!

...and we are finally getting some really good pics of it.

Here are a few more:

...and some more:

...and even more!