On Feb. 28, 2019, the U.S. Navy declared initial operational capability for its F-35C. The Commander, Naval Air Forces and the U.S. Marine Corps Deputy Commandant for Aviation jointly announced that the aircraft carrier variant of the F-35 Lightning II, met all requirements and achieved Initial Operational Capability.  

The Navy’s first F-35C squadron, Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 147 based at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California, debuted on the decks of the USS Carl Vinson in late 2018 and received its safe-for-flight operations certification which set them on the track to IOC. 

Before the Navy would declare VFA-147 operationally capable, the squadron had to prove several things: the squadron had to be fully manned, with all pilots qualified for shore-based operations and then carrier operations from Vinson; the pilots had to prove they could conduct a range of operations and maneuvers; the maintainers had to prove they could keep the new planes flying; and the Navy had to prove it could sustain the squadron through a mature logistics system. 

IOC declaration set in motion VFA-147’s preparations to make the milestone operational deployment to the Indo-Pacific region with the F-35C as part of a carrier air wing aboard USS Carl Vinson in August 2021. They were deployed for six and half months.