(CNN) The US military's F-35B joint strike fighter conducted its first-ever airstrike on Thursday, according to the US Marine Corps and three US defense officials.

The strike took place in Afghanistan against a fixed Taliban target. The aircraft involved were the US Marine Corps' variant of the aircraft flying from the USS Essex amphibious assault ship.

The Marines confirmed the strike in a statement: "During this mission the F-35B conducted an air strike in support of ground clearance operations, and the strike was deemed successful by the ground force commander."

The F-35 stealth jet has been called the most expensive weapons system in history , and its development was beset by multiple delays before it was deemed combat ready.

It is touted as the future of military aviation: a lethal and versatile aircraft that combines stealth capabilities, supersonic speed, extreme agility and state-of-the-art sensor fusion technology, according to Lockheed Martin, the plane's primary contractor.

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