Australia - December 07, 2025 U.S. 7th Fleet Area of Operations – U.S. Marines assigned to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 242, part of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, carried out flight operations aboard the forward-deployed amphibious assault carrier USS Tripoli (LHA 7) on Dec. 7, 2025. The operations took place on the flight deck of USS Tripoli, the flagship of the Tripoli Expeditionary Strike Group, during routine activities in the U.S. 7th Fleet Area of Operations. Video from the operation shows an F-35B Lightning conducting a vertical landing on the ship, highlighting the aircraft’s short takeoff and vertical landing capability. Marines and Sailors conducted these flight operations to expand mission capabilities in support of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit. The 31st MEU is the Marine Corps’ only continuously forward-deployed Marine Expeditionary Unit. It provides a flexible and lethal force capable of conducting a wide range of military operations and serves as the premiere crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific region.