Rear Admiral Martin Connell, assistant chief of naval staff (aviation and carrier strike) tells Lindsay Peacock why the F-35B is a game-changer for the United Kingdom’s Carrier Enabled Power Projection (CEPP) capability.
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ore than two decades after signing up and seven years after the first Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning for the United Kingdom (UK) was officially accepted in July 2012 by the then Defence Secretary Philip Hammond at Fort Worth, Texas, the programme is at last gathering pace. Tangible proof of this is provided by the fact that both of the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers have been completed, and operational employment of the principal combat asset – the F-35 – has begun. It would therefore appear to be an opportune moment to look at recent developments with the Lightning and to consider where it will be heading in the next few years. Current planning anticipates procurement of 138 Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning combat aircraft for service with the UK armed forces, of which 18 have so far been delivered. Apart from three retained in the United States for trials and development work with 17 Test and Evaluation Squadron (TES), the majority are now in the UK at RAF Marham, which is the home base for the Lightning Force. This received its first four F-35Bs on June 6, 2018, when 617 Squadron (Sqn) took up residence after forming in the United States in April 2018. Another five F-35Bs followed on Aug. 3, 2018, with the most recent transatlantic ferry flight involving six aircraft that arrived on July 16 of this year, allowing 207 Sqn to officially stand up at Marham as the F-35 Operational Conversion Unit with effect from August 1. A more significant milestone was passed in January 2019 with the announcement that an Initial Operational Capability (IOC) Land had been achieved and this was followed by the first operational missions on June 16 when RAF F-35s flew over Syria and Iraq as part of Operation ‘Shader’. Looking ahead, another 24 aircraft should arrive by 2023, allowing 809 Naval Air Squadron to form in April of that year, as well as enabling the attainment of Full Operational Capability (FOC) by the end of 2023.
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HMS Prince of Wales
According to Rear Adm Martin Connell, assistant chief of naval staff (aviation and carrier strike) the F-35B is a game-changer in terms of UK carrier strike capabilities.
ROYAL NAVY PHOTO, CROWN COPYRIGHT
LIGHTNING STRIKES
At present, RAF Marham is still in the process of getting up to speed. Major construction work has been ongoing for several years in readiness for the Lightning, making it necessary to accomplish early pilot and engineer training in the United States. This has now ended, with Marham’s Integrated Training Centre (ITC) launching its first pilot course for five students on July 1, 2019. Initial instruction was wholly classroom- and simulator-based, with the live flying segment commencing in early September. Three of the students on this course were from the Navy, one of whom will shortly assume command of 617 Sqn. With regard to trade training, this has been undertaken in the UK since mid-October 2018, and the ITC is responsible for courses for all of the ground trades associated with the
