On November 29, 2025, night flight operations from the USS Tripoli (LHA 7) in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations highlighted how a forward-deployed amphibious assault ship can now act as a de facto small aircraft carrier in the Indo-Pacific, with F-35B fighters launching into the darkness from its deck. In a scene captured as Aviation Boatswain’s Mate 2nd Class Arnitt Jones signaled a Marine F-35B of VMFA-242 into position, the U.S. Navy demonstrated that these nocturnal sorties are no longer routine training events but part of a broader shift in how airpower is projected at sea. This development comes as Tripoli completes its transition to a Japan-based platform designed around aviation, without a well deck and optimized for fifth-generation aircraft, as reported by the U.S. Navy and U.S. Pacific Fleet, with the images made public through DVIDS. Read Full Defense News At This link.
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| USS Tripoli (LHA 7) conducted night F‑35B operations in the 7th Fleet on November 29, 2025, underscoring its transition to a Japan‑based aviation‑focused platform and its emerging role as a small carrier in the Indo‑Pacific (Picture Source: DVIDS / USNI) |