F-35 @ UK

[adroth]

The Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson has announced that Britain’s next generation of fighter jets, the F-35B Lightning, will start arriving at their new home, RAF Marham next month with the newly reformed No 617 Squadron. @RoyalNavy @RoyalAirForce 🔗: ow.ly/QARw30k1xxw

[adroth]

F-35Bs land on UK carrier for first time
Tim Ripley, London - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
29 September 2018

https://www.janes.com/article/83430/f-35bs-land-on-uk-carrier-for-first-time?utm_campaign=PC6110_E18%20DF%20NL%20Naval%2002_10_18&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua

Key Points

    F-35Bs flown by UK test pilots have landed on the Royal Navy carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth for the first time
    The event effectively marks the closing of the UK's ‘carrier gap’

A Royal Navy (RN) pilot landed a Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter on the UK aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth for the first time on 25 September.

The event, which signalled the return of fixed-wing aircraft operations from RN carriers after almost an eight-year hiatus, took place off the east coast of the United States.

RN Commander Nathan Gray was at the controls of the first aircraft, BF-05, to land on the 65,000-tonne carrier and in quick succession Royal Air Force (RAF) Squadron Leader Andy Edgell landed his aircraft, BF-04, on the ship.

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[Ayoshi]

RAF Voyager tanker completes first air-to-air refueling of British F-35B | Air Recognition - 18 October 2018 13:42

The refuel took place on the 16th October 2018, over the North Sea at 19000ft. The Voyager, based at RAF Brize Norton, home to the RAF’s Air Mobility Fleet is no stranger to refuelling fast jets, being the RAF’s sole AAR capability.  The Voyager KC. Mk 2, is equipped with two underwing pods for refuelling fast jets, and the Voyager KC. Mk 3 has an additional centreline hose for use by larger aircraft.

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The F-35B Lightning II is the RAF’s newest combat aircraft, operated by No. 617 Squadron based at RAF Marham, Norfolk. This multi-role aircraft can conduct missions including air-to-surface, electronic warfare, intelligence gathering and air-to-air simultaneously.

RAF F-35B Lightning II jet receives fuel from the Voyager for the first time in the UK (Credit: RAF)

[adroth]

UK doubles order for F-35 fighter jets
By Zachary F. Vasile
zvasile@journalinquirer.com 10 hrs ago  0

https://www.journalinquirer.com/business/uk-doubles-order-for-f--fighter-jets/article_39118432-e9d0-11e8-a4bc-9bcc50705435.html

The British defense ministry announced Thursday that it intends to double its number of operational F-35 stealth fighter jets with a new order of 17 aircraft from manufacturer Lockheed Martin.

Defense Secretary David Williamson said the new F-35B planes are to be delivered between 2020 and 2022 and will complement the United Kingdom’s current fleet of 16 F-35s based at Royal Air Force station Marham and in the United States. Britain also has two fighter jets already on order, Williamson said.

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[Ayoshi]

RAF F-35B training for the first time with US and French fighter jets | Air Recognition - 29 November 2018 10:18

The 617 Squadron jets joined over 40 other aircraft from the RAF, the United States Air Force (USAF) and the French Air Force on Exercise Point Blank, taking to the skies over East Anglia and the North Sea.

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The exercise also aimed to improve the operational capability within the established tri lateral framework of RAF, USAF, French Air Force cooperation.

RAF F-35B training over East Anglia and the North Sea with US Air Force F-15 and French Air Force Rafale fighter jets (Credit: Royal Air Force)

[adroth]

UK marks ‘century of airpower’ with platform milestones
Gareth Jennings, London - Jane's Defence Weekly
11 January 2019

https://www.janes.com/article/85652/uk-marks-century-of-airpower-with-platform-milestones?utm_campaign=PC6110_E18%20DF%20NL%20Airforces%2015_01_19&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua

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The event at Royal Air Force (RAF) Marham on 10 January, which was attended by Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson and senior service officials, saw the Ministry of Defence (MoD) declare initial operating capability (IOC) Land (L) for its Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning Force as well as IOC for the multirole Project Centurion weapons configuration for the Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4.

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[Ayoshi]

From Janes

BAE begins Meteor and SPEAR integration for F-35 - 17 March 2019

As noted by BAE Systems, the Meteor and SPEAR 3 work is part of a wider package that includes further integration of the MBDA AIM-132 Advanced Short-Range Air-to-Air Missile (ASRAAM) and the Raytheon Paveway IV laser-guided bomb (LGB) in support of delivering initial operating capability (IOC) for the UK. While all of this work is being done specifically for the UK customer, Cliff Waldwyn, head of Combat Air, Group Business Development of MBDA said that it also added additional capability choice for international customers.

A concept of a Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning launching the MBDA Meteor BVRAAM missile. (BAE Systems)


UK begins integrating next-gen weapons for F-35 - 18 March 2019

The Meteor, which has been developed by France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, and the UK, has a speed of more than Mach 4 and a range in excess of 100 km. Whereas similar-type missiles have a relatively short boost-phase after launch, after which they glide to the target while bleeding energy, the Meteorʼs ramjet means it is propelled up to the point of impact. This reduces the adversary aircraft’s chances of escaping the missile and gives the pilot more assurance of success when engaging enemy aircraft, leading it to be been described by industry and military officials as a step-change in air-to-air combat capabilities.

The SPEAR is a datalinked turbojet-powered stand-off ground-attack weapon that is expected to possess a range of about 100 km. It will be released from an aircraft regardless of its position relative to the target, and although it will be able to engage numerous target types, its subsonic speed and relatively small warhead will likely require a saturating attack using multiple missiles.

Both of these weapon types will be carried in the internal bays of the F-35 to maintain the aircraft’s low-observable characteristics, while they will also be carried externally for missions that require a greater weapons load without the need for stealth. Meteor and SPEAR 3 integration is expected to run through to 2025.

A UK F-35B seen with the ASRAAM, SPEAR, and Meteor missiles that will largely make up its national-specific weapons fit. (Crown Copyright)

[Ayoshi]

https://www.janes.com/article/88711/raf-f-35bs-decamp-to-cyprus-for-first-overseas-deployment

RAF F-35Bs decamp to Cyprus for first overseas deployment
22 May 2019

The contingent of six F-35Bs took off from their home base at RAF Marham in Norfolk and flew non-stop to RAF Akrotiri with support from an RAF Airbus A330 air-to-air refuelling aircraft.

According to an announcement by the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) on 21 May, the aircraft will be participating in Exercise 'Lightning Dawn' for six weeks.

[Ayoshi]

https://www.shephardmedia.com/news/imps-news/uk-f-35s-land-onboard-hms-queen-elizabeth/

UK F-35s land onboard HMS Queen Elizabeth
14th October 2019 - 09:30 GMT

The Royal Navy and Royal Air Force jets have landed, taken off and hovered on the carrier, with the goal of confirming that the aircraft are compatible with the vessel. The tests involve mission planning, arming the aircraft using the ship’s Highly Automated Weapon Handling System, flying missions and debriefing on completion.

The trials follow successful developmental trials in 2018 with US military F-35 jets, where forces conducted 500 take offs and landings over their 11-week period at sea.

The landings on HMS Queen Elizabeth are part of the ‘Westlant 19’ Carrier Strike Group deployment.

[Ayoshi]

https://navaltoday.com/2020/02/10/uk-f35-lightning-jets-complete-night-trials-with-hms-queen-elizabeth/

UK F35 Lightning jets complete night trials with HMS Queen Elizabeth
February 10, 2020

The first operational deployment for HMS Queen Elizabeth 617 Squadron and a squadron of US Marine Corps Lightning jets is due to take place in 2021.

Photo: UK MOD

[Ayoshi]

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/7d32370d-3c35-4ca6-8021-01f55e0084d0

10 June 2020 00:00 GMT+0
Operational F-35s arrive aboard Queen Elizabeth

Four aircraft from the Royal Air Force’s (RAF’s) 617 Squadron, known as ‘the Dambusters’, arrived on HMS Queen Elizabeth on 9 June following the earlier embarkation of support personnel from the unit.

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According to the RN, Queen Elizabeth will now enter an intense period of flying having just successfully completed four weeks of basic sea training. The aim is to demonstrate that the F-35Bs can successfully defend the aircraft carrier by delivering combat air patrols and being ready to launch at short notice.

After the initial qualification period, 617 Sqn will work with Portsmouth-based Queen Elizabeth