F-35s carry out night landings on HMS Queen Elizabeth
The first night landings on HMS Queen Elizabeth have been carried out by four F-35 Lightning jets in UK waters.
Operational training being carried out in the North Sea is underway to enable 207 Squadron to achieve essential carrier flying and Landing Signals Officer supervisory qualifications.
The exercise builds on successful trials completed on last year’s WESTLANT 19 Carrier Strike Group deployment off the East Coast of the USA.
HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales are designed to operate the Short Take Off and Vertical Landing F-35B. The UK will declare Initial Operating Capability for Carrier Strike by the end of 2020. The UK currently owns 18 aircraft, with an additional order placed for 30 jets.
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.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Air Warfare
-
NATO’s Next Generation Rotorcraft Capability moves ahead with development contracts
The Next Generation Rotorcraft Capability (NGRC) programme is a transnational effort across NATO to replace a range of helicopters which are expected to begin retiring from the mid-2030s.
-
Boeing to upgrade software for KC-46A tanker
The KC-46A upgrades will improve the platform’s mission readiness, performance in challenged airspace and rapid deployment capabilities.
-
Teledyne FLIR promotes ITAR-free Star SAFIRE imaging payload at FIA
The Ultraforce 380-HDc, launched at Farnborough International Airshow, builds on Teledyne FLIR’s successful Star SAFIRE family of systems and is aimed at both the military and security markets.
-
Dutch and Austrian governments collaborate on Embraer C-390 acquisition at Farnborough
The two nations will split the acquisition of the C-390s to boost their airlift capacities.