U.S. Marine Corps F-35B aircraft have been flying armed patrols over the Caribbean as part of wider operations under US Southern Command, new imagery confirms.
The stealth fighters are officially supporting missions aimed at disrupting drug trafficking networks, but their presence also signals a clear message amid renewed attention on Venezuela.
Photos released by the U.S. Air Force show the jets carrying AIM-120 AMRAAM and AIM-9X air-to-air missiles, as well as GBU-54 Laser JDAMs. The aircraft were photographed on 28 October during operations in the Southern Command’s area of responsibility, which spans Latin America and the Caribbean.
Lethality and warfighting:#Marines load ordnance on @USMC F-35B Lightning II fighters during training in the Caribbean. U.S. forces are deployed to the Caribbean in support of the #SOUTHCOM mission, @DeptofWar-directed operations, and @POTUS’ priorities. @SecWar @MARFORSOUTH pic.twitter.com/SBmFtmVcK4
— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) October 3, 2025
The deployment follows the arrival of at least five F-35Bs at the former Roosevelt Roads naval complex in Ceiba, Puerto Rico, in mid-September. The aircraft, identified as belonging to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 225 (VMFA-225) from Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona, were observed operating without visible unit markings, likely a deliberate measure to maintain operational security.
President Donald Trump recently suggested that the US could target drug cartel infrastructure in Venezuela.
Shows just how intimidating a Queen Elizabeth Strike group could be showing up off someone’s coast.
For all the deriding of the F35B it’s one of the most deadly machines on the planet and light years ahead of anything any non western nations can dream of putting to sea.
If China had an F35B equivalent able to operate from small carriers and short island runways the US would be bricking it.
It’s quite telling that China chose a two engine F35C knock off but has made no attempt at copying the F35B which would arguably be much more useful for their current carriers. However the engine technology developed by RR and PW for the B is probably many years beyond Chinas capability.
It is top “Day 0” capability. But it is very complex and expensive.
with 1,300 already in service, I think it will go down as the top fighter program of all time.
Underestimating China’s capacity to learn and develop is a little worrying Jim.
Watching their speed and quality improve in the automotive Industry is a real wake up call.
Bikes.
Chinese manufacturers pretty much stole the show at this years EICMA bike show. No longer are they producing knock off copies, they are bringing some pretty Impressive designs out all off their own backs. A particular stand out machine from CF Moto has a 208bhp V4 engine and top quality components to match any european or Japanese manufacturer.
(Harleys don’t count as they are just junk)
Bikes, Cars, Phones, Ships, Aircraft, Submarines all getting rather good and not just on paper.
Yes they are very impressive on electrical engineering however they continue to lag in precision metal fabrication. It took them many years and until recently to master the ballpoint on pens.
They have largely managed to bypass precision mechanical engineering in vehicles by bypassing internal combustion engines and doubling down on battery EV’s which is a strong point of theirs however precision fan blades are a struggle for any one even people like RR who have a century of expertise and the precision required for the F35B lift fan is on another level.
It will be interesting to see where they are in another 10 years, that’s for sure though.
As they themselves might say: may you live in interesting times.
It is the weapons you can put on an F-35 that count. The US is moving ahead on that. Just saw a photo of a F-35C with LRASM under its wings. All block 4 F-35A/B/C will be integrated with AARGM-ER. I seem to remember they are on course for JASSM-ER as well. Then the Japanese & others will have JSM on their F-35A. The UK needs to properly arm its existing 47+27 F-35 before it thinks about ordering more.
The J-35 should exceed the Lightning-B by the accounts of most experienced PLA-watchers and analysts. But that’s about it – outside of the F-35C and the Chinese jet, there’s nothing else that can hold a candle to the Lightning-B’s air to air performance.
I doubt it. The Chinese aircraft are ‘low observable’ but have nothing close to the senior fusion of the F-22 or F-35.
You know the avionics found on the F-22 are pretty dated by modern standards. Yes, the radar is good, but the computing surrounding that system is still essentially 90s tech. It also lacks an integrated IRST system, or an EOTS. Heck, I don’t think the F-22 even has a HMD yet.
As to the comparative strength of the Chinese sensor fusing technology, I would point to the efficacy of the J-10C in Pakistani service against India, and the strength of their battle management capability. To be able to detect, target their PL-15Es against Indian Rafale flights at distances of 200km or more, and achieve multiple impacts, is absolutely indicative of a potent information-gathering, sharing and fusing capability. All of this, whilst operating with foreign-built AEW&C aircraft, flying what is essentially the export model of the PLAAF’s third-rank fighter. To assume that China’s newest stealth fighter would not have superior capability, despite being nearly a decade more modern, is either asinine or demonstrative of a crippling lack of information.
In response to your point about low observability, the best indications we have about the J-35’s frontal RCS (when observed from a level position) is that it’s reportedly comparable to that of a sparrow – about 8-10 times larger than the F-35A (so perhaps 6-8 times larger than the F-35B). That’s not a significant difference in detectability, perhaps that of a few miles, maybe a little more.
My other point would be kinematics, given the J-35 is significantly more capable at supersonic speeds than the F-35B, given we know there are limitations on the F-35B’s speed in order to avoid degrading its RAM coatings. All of that feeds into the ability of an aircraft to loft its missiles out to long ranges.
There’s also the point about the J-35 carrying an extra pair of missiles internally compared to the Lightning-B, which is forced to compromise its stealth to carry the Sidewinder or ASRAAM, given neither can be carried internally.
What you describe was top of the line.. in the 1970’s.
The F-35 can detect the metal of a rifle in a crop field. Nothing China has comes close to that.
Reliable, 200km, AWACs-guided, fighter on fighter missile shots against aware targets were top of the line in the 1970s? Stealth fighters, a 70s technology? GaN, AESA radars, EOTS, all 70s technology.
Brother, end the cope, please. The Phoenix and Nighthawk were good, but not that good.
Things are hotting up around Venezuela. A member of the Russian Duma claimed Putin sent Pantsir air defence there. Is it taking the world’s eyes off Ukraine perhaps?
And a Buk system, if I’m not mistaken. Given Russia’s pressing need for air defences, it’s interesting that they truly believed such a transfer was necessary.
And S-300. IL-76TD’s have been flying into Venezuela for months now.