US Marine Corps shifts to F-35, ends F/A-18 Hornet maintenance roles

The United States Marine Corps is completing its transition to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, eliminating all enlisted maintenance positions associated with the F/A-18 Hornet. This move ends a four‑decade era of Hornet service and consolidates tactical aviation under the fifth‑generation stealth aircraft.

An F-35B Lightning II from Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501 demonstrated short takeoff and vertical landing capabilities at the Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point Air Show on May 9, 2026, highlighting the aircraft’s role as a force multiplier for the Marine Air‑Ground Task Force.