US Navy F-35C Lightning II Demo Team
The Navy’s carrier-variant F-35 tactical demonstration, flown by instructors of the VFA-125 “Rough Raiders” training squadron at NAS Lemoore.
US Navy F-35C Lightning II Demo Team: how the team came to be and what it flies today
Rough Raiders at Lemoore
The F-35C demonstration is run by VFA-125 “Rough Raiders”, the West Coast F-35C fleet replacement squadron at NAS Lemoore, California, which earlier flew F/A-18C Hornet demonstrations. The Navy received tentative approval in 2019 for F-35C aerobatic performances at eight to ten shows in 2020, the year after the F-35C reached initial operational capability. The team appears at a select number of shows each season; in June 2026 it made its debut at the Dayton Air Show in Ohio.
Tactical demo and Legacy Flight
An FAA-hosted support manual dated January 2023 describes a team of up to two F-35Cs (primary and spare), three pilots, six to eight maintainers and a ground safety observer, flying a 12 to 15 minute tactical demonstration and a Navy Legacy Flight with historic aircraft. Like the other Navy tactical demo teams it was grounded after the May 2026 Growler collision and cleared again on 10 June 2026.
US Navy F-35C Lightning II Demo Team in numbers
The team
- Formation
- 1 самолет
- Single F-35C display plus spare
- Three pilots, six to eight maintainers
Самолёт
- Flown
- Lockheed Martin F-35C Lightning II
- F-35C Lightning II
Дом
- Based at
- NAS Lemoore
- VFA-125 Rough Raiders
The display
- Aircraft in the display
- 1
Every type US Navy F-35C Lightning II Demo Team has flown
| Самолёт | Годы | Number | Примечание |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lockheed Martin F-35C Lightning II | 2 | Primary and spare. |
US Navy F-35C Lightning II Demo Team, year by year
Navy receives tentative approval for F-35C displays at 8–10 shows in 2020.
VFA-125 tactical and Legacy Flight support manual issued.
Team stood down with other Navy tactical demos after the Growler collision.
Cleared to resume displays.
Everything people ask about US Navy F-35C Lightning II Demo Team
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Around US Navy F-35C Lightning II Demo Team
Все факты проверены.
- US Navy looks to start up F-35C Lightning II demonstrations in 2020, AirshowStuff
- VFA-125 Navy Tailhook Legacy and Tactical Airshow Flight Profile Demonstration Team support manual, FAA
- Air boss orders flight demo team safety stand down following Growler crash, USNI News
- Navy flight demonstration team stand down ends, Growler team still grounded, USNI News
Verified 2026-10-02.