The squadron is expected to receive its first F-35B later this year and is now actively working to achieve “Safe for Flight” certification.

One of the oldest fighter attack squadrons of the United States Marine Corps has entered a new era, receiving a new designation as it transitions to an F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter squadron. In a ceremony on June 26, 2025 at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina, Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA(AW) ) 224 was redesignated Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 224.

Even with the change of aircraft and designation, the squadron will remain part of the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, the aviation combat element of the II Marine Expeditionary Force.

The USMC’s Long History of Combat Aviation

The unit, which was first established as Marine Fighter Squadron 224 (VMF-224) on May 1, 1942, and known as the “Fightin’ Bengals,” has operated notable aircraft such as the Douglas A-4D Skyhawk, the Grumman A-6 Intruder, the Grumman F4F Wildcat, and the Vought F4U Corsair. It flew combat missions during the Second World War and the Vietnam War.

Prior to the F-35B, the squadron had flown the McDonnell-Douglas F/A-18D Hornet for more than three decades. During that time, it participated in combat operations in Operation Desert Storm in 1991 and later in the Global War on Terror (GWoT), flying missions in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

VMFA(AW)-224 conducted the final flight of the F/A-18 Hornet on April 28, 2025. It follows the VMFA(AW)-553, which retired the Hornet in June 2023, while the Marine Corps concluded F/A-18 carrier deployments in February 2021. The US Navy had flown its last operational F/A-18 from Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana in October 2019.

The Marine Air Wing Has a New Commander

Last month’s ceremony also saw a “change of command” for the storied squadron, with Lt. Col. Jarrod Allen, the former commanding officer of VMFA(AW)-224, transferring “responsibly, authority, and accountability” to Lt. Col. John Stuart, the new commanding officer of VMFA-224.

“For over 30 years, the Fightin’ Bengals have superbly executed the mission of a Marine all-weather fighter attack squadron,” said Allen. “As the Bengals redesignate, it ends an era of the All-Weather designation that began with the Night Fighter designation in 1943. I could not be prouder of the Marines and Sailors who upheld the high standards of excellence during the final days of this chapter.”

The unit is expected to receive its first F-35B later this year and is now actively preparing its personnel, equipment, and procedures accordingly as it works to achieve “Safe for Flight” certification.

“The next thing for the Fightin’ Bengals is to build upon the rock-solid foundation we’ve inherited and produce a stealth fighter squadron unmatched in tactical excellence, maintenance efficiency, quality, and Marine Corps ethos,” said Stuart. “Rest assured, when our nation calls upon the Bengals to do its bidding, the adversaries of our country and her allies will understand what it means to ‘Fear the Ambush.'”

The Lockheed Martin F-35B is the short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) variant of the fifth-generation stealth fighter. Although it can not easily operate from the United States Navy’s nuclear-powered supercarriers, the F-35B can be deployed from land-based airfields, including expeditionary bases with limited runway space, and from amphibious assault ships. It is a core component of the so-called “Lightning Carrier” concept.