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Thumbnail Filmstrip of Lockheed F-35B Lightning II RAF No 17 ZM137 HA4601 Images
Lockheed F-35B Lightning II JSF Diecast Model
RAF No 17(R) Sqn, ZM137, Eglin AFB, FL, 2013
The Royal Air Force and Royal Navy plan to operate 138 F-35B short takeoff/vertical landing aircraft, and the first two were delivered to the UK in 2012. These aircraft support training at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, where British pilots and maintainers are embedded with the US Marine Corps and their fleet of F-35Bs. The third UK F-35 was delivered to Eglin in June of 2013. The Lightning II will be the backbone of Britain's future carrier operations. As the first supersonic short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) fighter jet, the F-35B will provide vital 5th Generation carrier-strike capabilities to the Royal Navy's two new carriers â the HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales. These new Queen Elizabeth Class Carriers are designed specifically for integration with the F-35B aircraft, including a ski jump ramp for short takeoffs in place of the traditional catapult launch. The F-35B also has the ability to operate from land bases and remote locations, providing versatility that will revolutionize the UKâs expeditionary combat power.