USMC VSTOL LSO Patch If you've waved a Harrier or a Lightning onto the deck, you know this isn't a regular LSO gig. VSTOL Landing Signal Officers guide AV-8B Harriers and F-35B Lightning IIs through vertical and short takeoff and landing operations aboard amphibious assault ships and at expeditionary airfields. Unlike conventional carrier LSOs working with arresting gear and catapults, VSTOL LSOs manage the unique aerodynamics and procedures of jet-borne vertical landings — a skillset that exists nowhere else in naval aviation. This patch represents one of the most specialized qualifications in the Marine Corps aviation community. Perfect For: VSTOL LSOs, AV-8B and F-35B pilots, amphibious assault ship air department personnel, and Marine Corps aviation patch collectors. The only LSO who waves a jet to a hover.
