The U.S. Marine Corps has deployed Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 211, a unit operating the F-35B Lightning II stealth fighter, to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan.
The deployment, which began on May 10, 2025, is part of the Marine Corps’ ongoing Unit Deployment Program (UDP) aimed at reinforcing its presence in the Indo-Pacific region.
Known as the “Wake Island Avengers,” VMFA-211 is based out of Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona. The squadron joins Marine Aircraft Group (MAG) 12, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, to support flight operations across the Indo-Pacific, a region of increasing strategic tension and competition.
According to the Marine Corps, the UDP allows units stationed in the continental U.S. to rotate through forward positions in the Indo-Pacific, maintaining operational readiness and fulfilling commitments under the U.S.-Japan Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security.
The F-35B, the short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) variant of the Joint Strike Fighter, is uniquely suited for expeditionary operations from amphibious assault ships and austere forward bases. It has become a key enabler in the Marine Corps’ evolving doctrine of distributed maritime operations, especially in contested environments like the South China Sea.
This latest deployment underscores Washington’s focus on reinforcing military alliances and forward presence in Asia, particularly as regional tensions simmer between U.S. allies and China over territorial disputes and Taiwan.