Its coming over this year.......

[MigBuster 2,884]

F-35 Lightning II jet to make maiden British flight

The combat aircraft will fly in Britain for the first time this summer at 2 airshows.

The F-35 Lightning II will make its international debut in July at the Royal International Air Tattoo in Fairford and in the same month will also fly at the Farnborough International Air Show.

This will be the first time the combat aircraft has flown outside of the United States. The selection of 2 UK airshows demonstrates the significant role that Britain has in the programme. Approximately 15% of every aircraft is built in the UK.

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said:

The US and the UK have worked closely together on the F-35 project from the beginning. We are the only country that is a Level 1 partner in the project, which is sustaining tens of thousands of jobs in the UK.

This fifth generation stealth combat aircraft will be a major boost to British combat air power and it is entirely fitting that the F-35’s first stop outside the United States will be in the UK – its second home.

The MOD has 3 aircraft which are all currently based in the US undertaking training with Royal Navy and Royal Air Force pilots. Orders for further aircraft will be placed over the next few years.

The UK’s first operational Lightning II squadron, 617 Squadron, is scheduled to transition to RAF Marham in Norfolk from the US in 2018 ahead of flight trials of the Queen Elizabeth Class Carrier later that year.
An F-35B Lightning II taking off from the USS Wasp
An F-35 Lightning II takes off from the USS Wasp (library image) [Picture: Todd R McQueen, Lockheed Martin]

The F-35 Lightning II will be capable of undertaking a wide range of operations from intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions to high intensity combat, including air defence for a Carrier Task Group and offensive support for ground forces.

The Royal International Air Tattoo is open to the public from 11-13 July and Farnborough International Air Show is open to trade visitors from 14-18 July and open to the public 19-20 July.

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/f-35-lightning-ii-jet-to-make-maiden-british-flight

[JediMaster 451]

So will the demo be by a B or an A? As the A isn't on order there, but has the best export prospects, I'm not sure which they'll send.

[MigBuster 2,884]

F-35Bs

 

 

http://www.airtattoo.com/airshow/visiting/aircraft/aircraft-confirmed

[Viggen 644]

So 617 Squadron will be the RAF's first F-35 squadron? I take it that means there current tour in Afghanistan will be their last foreseen use of the Tonka in combat then?

Edited April 20, 2014 by Viggen

[MigBuster 2,884]

I think the Tornado will be fully retired by 2020 - something like that

 

I did see this (Jan 2014)  http://theaviationist.com/2014/01/31/dambusters-last-mission-tonka/

 

 

Royal Air Force’s 617 Squadron known as the “Dambusters”, from the daring night missions against the Mohne, Eder and Sorpe dams, pivotal to Hitler’s industrial heartland in the Ruhr Valley, back in 1943, completed their last operational mission (over Afghanistan) with the Tornado GR4.

 

It will be a temporary disbandment though: the unit will reform in 2018, with both Royal Air Force and Navy personnel and it will be equipped with the F-35B Lightning II joint strike fighter.

This last flight was a Close Air Support (CAS) mission, which aimed at helping the coalition troops and was made by Squadron Leader, Mark Jackson.

[+ianh755 196]

617 disbanded about a month ago. I had a great time on 617 so it's a shame to see them go and I'm gutted I missed the disbandment party, I heard it was epic!