{"id":63776,"date":"2025-06-02T14:48:14","date_gmt":"2025-06-02T14:48:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/uncategorized\/2025\/06\/02\/marine-squadron-conducts-its-final-harrier-flight-in-switch-to-f-35\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T20:56:25","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T20:56:25","slug":"marine-squadron-conducts-its-final-harrier-flight-in-switch-to-f-35","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/your-military\/2025\/06\/02\/marine-squadron-conducts-its-final-harrier-flight-in-switch-to-f-35\/","title":{"rendered":"Marine squadron conducts its final Harrier flight in switch to F-35"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A Marine Attack Squadron has flown its final Harrier flight and is set for official deactivation in September at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Marine Attack Squadron VMA 231, known as the \u201cAce of Spades,\u201d flew its final AV-8B Harrier II flight May 29, according to a Marine release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cToday is not a sad day,\u201d Lt. Col. Paul Truog, current commanding officer of VMA-231, said in the release. \u201cThis is a momentous day for Marine aviation. It\u2019s a day that we\u2019re going to celebrate.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The squadron will transition to the F-35B Lightning II aircraft, a fifth generation fighter jet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEverybody knows that VMA-231 is transitioning to F-35s. The Wing, the [Marine Aircraft Group], and the squadron are going to be more capable of responding to any crisis,\u201d Truog said in his remarks. \u201cBut that capability is not just because it\u2019s our most technically advanced weapons system. That capability is because of the Marines and the pilots that, in record amounts, raise their hands saying, \u2018I want to continue on, I want to keep moving forward.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t