Marine F-35C carries submarine and ship kill markings after Operation Epic Fury

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Published: October 5, 2026

1 source

Updated: October 6, 2026 (1w ago)

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First reported by: The Aviationist

Lockheed Martin F-35C Lightning IIVMFA-314 Black KnightsU.S. Marine CorpsVFA-41 Black AcesU.S. Central CommandUSS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72)Carrier Air Wing 9Boeing F/A-18F Super HornetNaval Air Station LemooreMarine Corps Air Station Miramar

In brief

A photo shows a Marine VMFA-314 F-35C with markings that appear to record three submarine kills plus ship, drone and ground targets from Operation Epic Fury.

Sources disagree

Factual claims where reporting sources diverge. Treat with care until confirmed by the primary investigator or regulator.

The submarine marking on the VFA-41 F/A-18F is described as a silhouette filled in with the moniker Sub Buster by The Aviationist, while The War Zone describes the same marking as a broken submarine kill marking with the added text Sub Buster.
The AviationistThe War Zone

A close-up photograph obtained by The Aviationist shows a U.S. Marine Corps F-35C Lightning II of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 314, the "Black Knights," carrying an unusually varied set of mission markings after taking part in Operation Epic Fury, the U.S. Central Command campaign against Iran that was launched on 28 February 2026. The image, which the outlet says was sent in by a reader, shows weapon silhouettes and tally marks on the left side of the forward fuselage below the cockpit and just ahead of the air intake, and a separate group of target silhouettes applied to the…

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