The Pentagon said Friday the Marine Corps have used its F35B jet to conduct combat missions in Afghanistan, a first for the advanced jet model.
"The Marine Corps F35B Lightning II conducted its first combat strikes in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility in support of Operation Freedom's Sentinel in Afghanistan yesterday," the Pentagon said in a statement.
"The airstrike in support of ground clearance operations was deemed successful by the ground force commander," the statement added.
Scott A. Stearney, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command said the F35B is a "significant enhancement in theater amphibious and air warfighting capability, operational flexibility and tactical supremacy."
According to media reports, the jet took off from U.S.S. Essex amphibious assault ship to strike a fixed target.
In an incident, a U.S. Marine Corps F35B jet crashed Friday in the U.S. state of South Carolina during training.
The F35B is one of three models in the F35 jet family, and the only one featuring with short-take off and vertical-landing ability.
The other two variants, the F35A and F35C, are equipped to the U.S. Air Force and Navy respectively.
