--- title: "F-35C Naval Joint Strike Fighters Fly Combat Missions Against Houthis In Yemen" description: "U.S. Marine Corps F-35C Joint Strike Fighters flying from the deck of the USS *Abraham Lincoln* took part in recent operations against Iranian-backed Houthi militants in Yemen, the Pentagon has disclosed. This appears to be one of the first combat…" date: "2024-11-12" modified: "2024-11-12" authors: - name: "Joseph Trevithick" job_title: "Deputy Editor" link: "https://www.twz.com/authors/joseph-trevithick" url: "https://www.twz.com/air/f-35c-naval-joint-strike-fighters-fly-combat-missions-against-houthis-in-yemen" categories: - "Air" - "Around The Globe" - "Carriers" - "F-35" - "F-35C" - "Fighters" - "Middle East" - "Naval Aviation" - "Navies" - "News & Features" - "Nimitz Class" - "Red Sea" - "Sea" - "U.S. Marine Corps" - "U.S. Navy" - "USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72)" - "Yemen" --- # F-35C Naval Joint Strike Fighters Fly Combat Missions Against Houthis In Yemen ![U.S. Marine Corps F-35C Joint Strike Fighters took part in recent strikes on Iranian-backed Houthi militants in Yemen, the Pentagon has disclosed.]() *CENTCOM capture* U.S. Marine Corps F-35C Joint Strike Fighters flying from the deck of the USS *Abraham Lincoln* took part in recent operations against Iranian-backed Houthi militants in Yemen, the Pentagon has disclosed. This appears to be one of the first combat outings, if not the first, for [carrier-based C variants of the F-35]() belonging to either Marines or U.S. Navy. "U.S. Central Command \[CENTCOM\] forces executed a series of precise airstrikes \[on\] November 9 through 10 on multiple Houthi weapons storage facilities situated within Houthi-controlled territories in Yemen," Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Maj. Gen. Patrick Ryder said at a routine press briefing today. "These facilities housed a variety of advanced conventional weapons used by the Iran-backed Houthis to target US and international military and civilian vessels navigating international waters in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden." "The operation involved U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy assets, to include F-35C fighter aircraft," Ryder added. ![]() *A US Marine Corps F-35C launches from the USS *Abraham Lincoln* in August 2024. *USN** "DOD: U.S. Navy F-35Cs make combat debut along with USAF aircraft in series of targeted operations Nov. 9-10 on Houthi targets in Yemen," Brian Everstine, *Aviation Week*'s Pentagon editor subsequently [wrote in a post on X](). Ryder appears to have misspoken about the F-35Cs in question belonging to the Navy, as did Everstine ([who later corrected himself]()). A video CENTCOM released today, seen below, shows F-35Cs, as well as an [F/A-18F Super Hornet]() fighter and an [EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft](), taking off from the supercarrier USS *Abraham Lincoln* as part of the November 9-10 strikes against the Houthis. The only F-35C unit aboard *Lincoln* currently is Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 314 (VMFA-314), the "Black Knights." https://twitter.com/CENTCOM/status/1856333671856238767 During his briefing today, Ryder did not explicitly say that this was the first time F-35Cs had been employed in combat. It is possible that this is just the first time Marine C models have flown combat sorties. VMFA-314 may have flown combat missions in the region before now, as well. *Lincoln* first arrived [in the CENTCOM area of responsibility]() back in August. What munitions the F-35Cs employed during their sorties against the Houthis over the weekend is also unknown, but the jets in the CENTCOM video do not appear to be carrying any weapons externally. F-35Cs can currently carry 1,000 and 2,000-pound class [Joint Direct Attack Munition]() (JDAM) GPS-assisted precision-guided bombs, 500-pound class [Paveway-series]() laser-guided bombs, and [AGM-154 Joint Stand-Off Weapon]() (JSOW) precision glide-bombs, as well as AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM), internally. *The War Zone* has reached out to the Pentagon, CENTCOM, Navy, and Marines for more information. ![]() *VMFA-314 F-35Cs on the deck of the USS *Abraham Lincoln* in May 2024. *USN** Regardless, F-35Cs are now clearly being employed in combat. This follows the combat debut of U.S. F-35Bs (also flown by Marines) [in 2018 against targets in Afghanistan]() and of U.S. Air Force F-35As [in strikes on targets in Iraq]() the next year. In 2018, Israeli [F-35I Adirs]() had also become the first Joint Strike Fighters operated by any country to see combat. [British F-35Bs]() are the only other Joint Strike Fighters [known to have flown combat missions](). The F-35C, which the U.S. military is currently the only operator of, was also the last Joint Strike Fighter variant to reach the initial operational capability milestone ([in 2019]()) and only [began deploying on Navy carriers]() in 2021. VMFA-314 was actually the first Marine F-35C squadron to deploy on a carrier, wrapping up [its initial deployment aboard]() the *Lincoln* the following year. ![]() *A VMFA-314 F-35C prepares to launch from the USS *Abraham Lincoln* in 2021. *USN** U.S. military operations in and around the Red Sea against the Houthis have already produced a number of [naval aviation firsts]() and, unfortunately, the crisis shows no signs of abating. Following the strikes by the F-35Cs and other aircraft over the weekend, the Houthis launched a barrage of [anti-ship ballistic and cruise missiles](), as well as [kamikaze drones](), against two *Arleigh Burke* class destroyers assigned to the *Lincoln*'s strike group. "On November 11, U.S. Central Command forces successfully repelled multiple Iranian-backed Houthi attacks during the transit of the Bab al-Mandab Strait. During the transit, the *Arleigh Burke* class guided missile destroyer\[s\] USS *Stockdale* and USS *Spruance* were attacked by at least eight one-way attack uncrewed aerial systems, five anti-ship ballistic missiles, and three anti-ship cruise missiles, which were successfully engaged and defeated," Ryder said at his briefing today. "The vessels were not damaged. No personnel were hurt. ... To the best of my knowledge, I'm not aware of any attacks against the *Abraham Lincoln*." VMFA-314's F-35Cs, as well as the rest of the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, look set to continue being engaged against the Houthis. *Contact the author: joe@twz.com* ## Author Joseph is *TWZ’s* Deputy Editor, helping to oversee the site’s highly experienced and dedicated team, while also writing informative and impactful defense and national security content. He lives right in the thick of it in the Washington, D.C. area. ### Author social links [Twitter]() [Bluesky]()