United States Marine Corps

===Aircraft===
[[File:Aircraft.osprey.678pix.jpg|thumb|alt=color photo of four parachutists jumping from the open ramp of an MV-22 Osprey in flight|Marine parachutists jumping from an [[Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey|MV-22 Osprey]] at 10,000 feet]]
{{main|List_of_active_United_States_military_aircraft#Marine_Corps|l1= List of active United States Marine Corps military aircraft}}

The [[Organic unit|organic]] aviation capability of the Marine Corps is essential to its amphibious mission. [[Marine Corps Aviation]] operates both [[helicopter|rotary-wing]] and [[fixed-wing aircraft]] mainly to provide [[Assault Support]] and [[close air support]] to its ground forces. Other aircraft types are used in a variety of support and special-purpose roles. The light transport and attack capabilities are provided by the [[Bell UH-1Y Venom]] and [[Bell AH-1Z Viper]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hqmc.usmc.mil/factfile.nsf/7e931335d515626a8525628100676e0c/a251c8116905c4b98525626d00777b4b?OpenDocument |title=AH-1W Super Cobra Helicopter |work=USMC Fact File |publisher=U.S. Marine Corps |access-date=3 August 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070205090648/http://www.hqmc.usmc.mil/factfile.nsf/7e931335d515626a8525628100676e0c/a251c8116905c4b98525626d00777b4b?OpenDocument |archive-date=5 February 2007}}</ref> Medium-lift squadrons utilize the [[Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey|MV-22 Osprey]] [[tiltrotor]]. Heavy-lift squadrons are equipped with the [[Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion|CH-53E Super Stallion]] helicopter, which are being replaced with the upgraded [[Sikorsky CH-53K|CH-53K]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Marine Corps Rotary Wing|publisher=[[Federation of American Scientists]]|url=https://fas.org/man/dod-101/navy/docs/vision/Corpsr.htm|access-date=29 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151105060424/http://fas.org/man/dod-101/navy/docs/vision/Corpsr.htm|archive-date=5 November 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

Marine attack squadrons fly the [[McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II|AV-8B Harrier II]]; while the fighter/attack mission is handled by the single-seat and dual-seat versions of the [[McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet|F/A-18 Hornet]] strike-fighter aircraft. The AV-8B is a [[V/STOL]] aircraft that can operate from [[amphibious assault ship]]s, land air bases and short, expeditionary airfields, while the F/A-18 can only be flown from land or [[aircraft carrier]]s. Both are slated to be replaced by 340 of the [[STOVL]] B version of the [[Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II|F-35 Lightning II]]<ref>{{cite web|title=F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program|publisher=[[United States Department of Defense|Department of Defense]]|url=http://www.jsf.mil/|access-date=3 August 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071027111123/http://www.jsf.mil/|archive-date=27 October 2007|url-status=live}}</ref> and 80 of the carrier [[F-35C]] versions for deployment with Navy [[carrier air wing]]s.<ref>{{cite web|last=Daniel |first=Lisa |url=http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=63158 |title=Plan Improves Navy, Marine Corps Air Capabilities |work=[[American Forces Press Service]] |publisher=United States Department of Defense |date=14 March 2011 |access-date=23 March 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110529052624/http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=63158 |archive-date=29 May 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2011/03/navy-more-marines-to-fly-f35c-031411w/ |title=More Marines to fly carrier-variant JSFs |last=Cavas |first=Christopher P. |date=14 March 2011 |work=Marine Corps Times |access-date=23 March 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110428154152/http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2011/03/navy-more-marines-to-fly-f35c-031411w/ |archive-date=28 April 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hqmc.marines.mil/News/NewsArticleDisplay/tabid/3488/Article/78874/marine-corps-continues-flying-with-joint-strike-fighter-program.aspx |title=Marine Corps continues flying with Joint Strike Fighter program |first=Michael S. |last=Cifuentes |publisher=Headquarters Marine Corps |date=14 March 2011 |access-date=11 June 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130301031003/http://www.hqmc.marines.mil/News/NewsArticleDisplay/tabid/3488/Article/78874/marine-corps-continues-flying-with-joint-strike-fighter-program.aspx |archive-date=1 March 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/news/defence-news/year-2015-news/january-2015-navy-naval-forces-defense-industry-technology-maritime-security-global-news/2374-us-marine-corps-received-its-first-f-35c-lightning-ii-carrier-variant.html |title=U.S. Marine Corps Received Its First F-35C Lightning II Carrier Variant |date=29 January 2015 |access-date=4 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150204044303/http://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/news/defence-news/year-2015-news/january-2015-navy-naval-forces-defense-industry-technology-maritime-security-global-news/2374-us-marine-corps-received-its-first-f-35c-lightning-ii-carrier-variant.html |archive-date=4 February 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:US Navy 111003-N-ZZ999-002 An F-35B Lightning II makes the first vertical landing on a flight deck at sea aboard the amphibious assault ship USS W.jpg|thumb|right|A Marine Corps F-35B, the vertical-landing version of the [[Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II|F-35 Lightning II]] [[Multirole combat aircraft|multirole fighter]] landing aboard {{USS|Wasp|LHD-1|6}}]]
The Corps operates its own organic [[aerial refueling]] assets in the form of the [[Lockheed C-130 Hercules|KC-130 Hercules]]; however, it also receives a large amount of support from the U.S. Air Force. The Hercules doubles as a ground refueler and tactical-airlift transport aircraft. The USMC electronic warfare plane, the [[Northrop Grumman EA-6B Prowler|EA-6B]], was retired in 2019. The Marines operate [[unmanned aerial vehicle]]s: the [[AAI RQ-7 Shadow|RQ-7 Shadow]] and [[Boeing ScanEagle|Scan Eagle]] for tactical reconnaissance.<ref>{{cite web|last=Talton|first=Trista|title=U.S. Marines' Shadow UAV Sees First Combat|publisher=Defensenews.com|url=http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?F=3117663&C=airwar|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120731190354/http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?F=3117663&C=airwar|archive-date=31 July 2012|access-date=3 August 2008}}</ref>

Marine Fighter Training Squadron 401 ([[VMFT-401]]), operates [[Northrop F-5|F-5E, F-5F and F-5N Tiger II]] aircraft in support of air combat adversary ([[dissimilar air combat training|aggressor]]) training. Marine Helicopter Squadron One ([[HMX-1]]) operates the [[Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King|VH-3D Sea King]] and [[Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk|VH-60N Whitehawk]] helicopters in the VIP transport role, most notably [[Marine One]], but are [[VXX|due to be replaced]] with the [[Sikorsky VH-92 Patriot|VH-92 Patriot]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Trevithick |first=Joseph |date=2023-03-14 |title=New VH-92 Presidential Helicopter Deploys To Las Vegas |url=https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/vh-92-patriot-presidential-helicopter-deployed-to-las-vegas |access-date=2023-05-17 |website=The Drive |language=en}}</ref> A single Marine Corps [[Lockheed C-130 Hercules|C-130 Hercules]] aircraft, "Fat Albert", is used to support the U.S. Navy's flight demonstration team, the "[[Blue Angels]]".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Trevithick |first1=Joseph |title=Check Out The Blue Angels' New Fat Albert C-130J In All Its Glory |url=https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/34507/here-is-our-first-look-at-the-blue-angels-new-fat-albert-c-130j-in-all-its-glory |website=www.thedrive.com |date=30 June 2020 |publisher=The Drive |access-date=22 May 2021 |archive-date=22 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210522220231/https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/34507/here-is-our-first-look-at-the-blue-angels-new-fat-albert-c-130j-in-all-its-glory |url-status=live }}</ref>