RAF strikes positive tone with F-35B Lightning arrival
Known as The Dambusters, no 617 Sqn delivered the first four F-35B Lightning II to RAF Marham, Norfolk on the evening of 6 June.
Their arrival from Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Beaufort, South Carolina, came a day later than planned owing to bad weather conditions over the North Sea.
The journey lasted eight and a half hours and required nine air-to-air refuelling brackets, from three RAF Voyager tankers and supported by a RAF A400M Atlas C1 with engineers and support personnel on board.
ACM Stephen Hillier, the RAF Chief of the Air Staff, was present to mark the occasion.
The
Already have an account? Log in
Want to keep reading this article?
More from Defence Notes
-
Estonia boosting defence industry with lessons from Ukraine, says country’s economic minister
Estonia is looking to boost its local defence industry with directed funding, industry parks, support through international orders for equipment and rapid prototyping.
-
White House calls on Pentagon contractors to “rapidly and aggressively” boost weapon production
Intended to sustain Operation Epic Fury against Iran, efforts to increase the production of weapons and ammunition could expose long-standing weaknesses in the US defence industrial base.
-
India’s strategic defence footprint expansion could be accelerated by Iran-Israel conflict
The latest escalation between Iran and Israel could shape New Delhi’s next-generation shield as India deepens cooperation with Israel on missile defence and drone production.
-
Is the US magazine of air defence interceptors deep enough to sustain a long campaign against Iran?
The Pentagon spent a considerable number of THAAD and SM-3 rounds to defend against Iranian missiles in 2025 and has not fully replenished its reserves.
-
New Zealand buys tri-service uncrewed kit from Syos Aerospace
As uncrewed technology continues to play an increasingly central role in modern military activities, New Zealand’s recent acquisitions point towards its the force’s focus on cost-effective capability.