Government suggest change to UK F-35 variant order after first 48 F-35Bs

[Ethan]

Earl Howe, Minister of State for Defence and Deputy Leader of the House of Lords, has suggested that a change in F-35 variant may be on the cards after the first 48 F-35Bs.

Thye information comes to light in answer to a written question in the House of Lords asked by the Marquess of Lothian:

“To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they remain committed to the purchase of 138 F-35B jump–jets for the Royal Navy.”

Answered by Earl Howe

“As part of the Strategic Defence and Security Review in 2015, we reaffirmed our commitment to procure 138 F-35 Lightning II aircraft.

The first tranche of 48 aircraft will be of the F-35B variant, which will be jointly operated by the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy, and capable of operating from both land and the Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers. The decision on the variant of subsequent tranches of Lightning will be taken at the appropriate time.”

The structure of the Lightning force is now somewhat clear.

• 17(R) Squadron is currently based at Edwards Air Force Base in the US and fills role of F-35B Operational Evaluation Unit.
• 617 Squadron will be based at RAF Marham and will be the first operational British F-35 unit in 2019.
• 809 Naval Air Squadron will also be based at RAF Marham.
• 2 more unnamed frontline Squadrons are to be established.
• 207 Squadron as the Operation Conversion Unit

This information comes from Air Cmdr. Harvey Smyth, the commander of the U.K.’s Lightning Force, as told to reporters at a conference in London last year.

In 2015, the UK government’s Strategic Defence and Security Review confirmed a planned order of 138 F-35s, with 23 of them to be available for carrier duties by 2023. The UK will have an operational fleet of around 63 aircraft according to Smyth, which is less than half of the total number of F-35’s that the UK has agreed to purchase

However, as reported by AviationWeek, Smyth pointed out that “the total number would cover attrition replacements and the so-called sustainment fleet, which is defined as additional aircraft required to sustain the fleet to its out-of-service date as well as to cover maintenance. Other UK combat aircraft also have large sustainment fleets.”

The F-35B’s maiden deployment is set for late 2017 and it’s bound for the Western Pacific. The jet will deploy aboard an amphibious flattop and the US Navy are planning a more powerful escort force to support it, according to Admiral Scott Swift, head of Pacific Fleet, as reported by Marine Times.

https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/government-suggest-change-uk-f-35-variant-order-first-48-f-35bs/

 

[البارون الاحمر]

Frankly I do not like the F35 and I hope that Britain will make its own plane much better

 

[Ethan]

Frankly I do not like the F35 and I hope that Britain will make its own plane much better

The UK has its own version of the F35 and the version is called F-35B.

MORE DETAILS :

http://defense-arab.com/vb/threads/113823/

http://defense-arab.com/vb/threads/113850/#post-2161387

 

[البارون الاحمر]

I'm sorry for the delay but I want to be a fifth generation aircraft from Britain to be like F22 and F35 manufactured BAE Systems

 

[Ethan]

I'm sorry for the delay but I want to be a fifth generation aircraft from Britain to be like F22 and F35 manufactured BAE Systems

BAE Systems is a manufacturing partner for the F-35B, but the future development of the fighter Typhoon includes the ghost property. We don't know whether it will be a ghostly level F-35B or not .

 

[khalaf]

BAE Systems is a manufacturing partner for the F-35B, but the future development of the fighter Typhoon includes the ghost property. We don't know whether it will be a ghostly level F-35B or not .

,Are you sure of the ghost property for the next typhoon development
?and if yes, is there any specific dates
?does that mean tranche 4 of the typhoon
!! It would great for Saudi Arabia
​

 

[Alucard]

this is the third time they request a change. i am not sure if the brits know themselves what they want.

 

[البارون الاحمر]

I wish my dear friend that the new development is ghostly, especially that Russia has a ghost fighter, which is T50, and China has its own fighter. Otherwise, I have Britain, its ghost plane

 

[البارون الاحمر]

Sorry but you have a new report on the Challenger 2 or a new development

 

[Ethan]

,Are you sure of the ghost property for the next typhoon development
?and if yes, is there any specific dates
?does that mean tranche 4 of the typhoon
!! It would great for Saudi Arabia
​

: This is what was mentioned

Looking to the future, the Eurofighter CEO stated that the company is already discussing a P4E package with the leading customers, further packages being also forecasted before the Typhoon Mid Life Update programme. The latter might include considerable enhancements that might range from aerodynamics, to propulsion, to stealthness, to netcentric capabilities

 

[Ethan]

I wish my dear friend that the new development is ghostly, especially that Russia has a ghost fighter, which is T50, and China has its own fighter. Otherwise, I have Britain, its ghost plane

The UK has other projects for fifth generation aircraft, such as the project with Turkey and Japan.

But the T-50 fighter has not yet entered the service, while the F-35 operates in the UK

 

[البارون الاحمر]

what is it I have not heard of it

 

[Ethan]

what is it I have not heard of it

http://defense-arab.com/vb/threads/113822/

https://www.google.com.sa/amp/amp.i...urkey-fifth-generation-fighter-project-714288

 

[البارون الاحمر]

Thank you very much my friend and I'm sorry I liked you

 

[البارون الاحمر]

[QUOTE = "إيثان، في مرحلة ما بعد: 2233860 عضو: 40298"] http://defense-arab.com/vb/threads/113822/

https://www.google.com.sa/amp/amp.i...urkey-fifth-generation-fighter-project-714288 [/ QUOTE]
Thank you very much my friend and I'm sorry I liked you