180922-M-PK127-1001 GULF OF ADEN (Sept. 22, 2018) A Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II sits on the flight deck of the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2) while Marines with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 211, 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), prepare for flight operations. The Essex Amphibious Ready Group and 13th MEU are the first U.S. Navy/Marine Corps team to deploy to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations with the transformational warfighting capabilities of the F-35B Lightning II, making it a more lethal, flexible and persistent force, leading to a more stable region for our partner nations (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Francisco J. Diaz Jr./Released)