180309-N-BD308-2019 EAST CHINA SEA (Mar. 9, 2018) Aviation Boatswain's Mate 3rd Class Donovan Hampton launches an F-35B off the flight deck of the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1) as part of a routine patrol in the Indo-Pacific region. Pilots with the "Green Knights" of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121 (VMFA-121), assigned under the Okinawa-based 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, are scheduled to conduct a series of qualification flights on Wasp over a multi-day period. The Wasp Expeditionary Strike Group is conducting a regional patrol meant to strengthen regional alliances, provide rapid-response capability, and advance the Up-Gunned ESG concept. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Levingston Lewis/Released)