U.S. Marine Corps fifth-generation F-35 fighters landed in Sweden for the first time in distributed aviation operations training during Exercise Nordic Response 24.
Four U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II fighters (STOVL short takeoff and vertical landing version) from the U.S. Marine Corps’ Attack Squadron 24. belonging to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 542, 2nd Marine Air Wing (MAW), and a KC-130J Super Hercules belonging to Marine Air Refueling Transport Squadron (VMGR) 252, 2nd MAW, conducted distributed aviation operations (DAO) during Exercise Nordic Response 24 at Kallax Air Base in Lulea, Sweden, March 13, 2024.
The event marked the first time a U.S. F-35 Lightning II jet landed in Sweden, the first time any F-35 operated at Kallax Air Base, and one of the first training events conducted by Sweden as a NATO member.
“We’re thrilled to welcome the first American F-35 landing here at Kallax air force base, and it’s an F-35B from the U.S. Marine Corps,” said Swedish Brig. Gen. Tommy Petersson, deputy commander of the Swedish Air Force. “For the U.S. Marine Corps of course, it’s a part of the agile combat employment portion in the framework of the exercise we’re conducting together right now, Nordic Response 24.”
The pre-planned event provided U.S. Marine Corps aviation platforms the opportunity to use a Swedish air base and host nation support to conduct ground refueling from a KC-130J Super Hercules to an F-35B aircraft.
«Se trata de una oportunidad para trabajar con nuestros socios suecos en operaciones de aviación distribuida», declaró el general de división estadounidense Scott Benedict, comandante general del 2º MAW. «Pudimos lanzar nuestros aviones en un paquete de entrenamiento de ataque de la OTAN, recuperarlos aquí en Suecia, reabastecerlos por medios expedicionarios desde un KC-130, y ponerlos de nuevo en el aire para otra salida. Este es nuestro medio para poder operar en un entorno en el que estamos protegidos gracias a nuestra movilidad».
Distributed aviation operations is a method of generating aviation combat power through the coordinated employment of aviation squadrons, command-and-control agencies, aviation logistics, and aviation ground-support units disaggregated across the battlefield that challenges adversary targeting efforts. The 2nd MAW concept of DAO distributes command and control of aviation forces across echelons of command, pushing authorities to the lowest levels, while keeping forces moving between airfields and air sites. It also integrates and builds interdependencies between the 2nd MAW and its allies and partners.
On the other hand, it was in Sweden that the doctrine of dispersed operations (a concept similar to DAO) using roads as «improvised» runways was developed and perfected in order to make it more difficult for the enemy to find and destroy Swedish Air Force assets on the ground and to ensure its air security in conflict scenarios where, it is assumed, air superiority would not be obtained. On this occasion, however, the F-35Bs did not use Swedish roads.
