F-35 jets to embark on HMS Prince of Wales for exercise Strike Warrior 2024
UK F-35 jets will embark aboard HMS Prince of Wales for Exercise Strike Warrior which will run from 14th – 27th October off the coast of Scotland and in the North Sea.
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F-35
809 Naval Air Squadron returns to the skies
On 4th July, an F-35 of 809 Naval Air Squadron took to the air for the first time. This was the first independent flight since the RN fast jet squadron was stood up last year and is another small step in the development of UK Carrier Strike capability.More
Examining the state of the UK Carrier Strike capability
In 2020 we wrote a piece asking if the UK was getting a “a pale imitation of Carrier Strike?” Three years on, we look again at whether the carriers are truly ready to be deployed on meaningful operations.More
HMS Prince of Wales crosses the Atlantic and begins developmental flying trials
HMS Prince of Wales headed to the United States in September and has now begun a series of test flights with various aircraft to inform the development of future Royal Navy carrier aviation. Here we cover the first part of the deployment and the start of these trials.
The F-35 accident report – a reality check for UK Carrier Strike
On 17th November 2021, an F-35B ditched into the sea on take-off from HMS Queen Elizabeth in the Eastern Mediterranean during operation FORTIS / CSG21. The basic cause of the accident was understood very quickly but the full board of enquiry report published recently highlights multiple contributing factors and reveals broader issues with UK Carrier Strike capability.
Building up the Lightning Force – when will the UK get its F-35 jets?
It has been revealed that Full Operating Capability for the UK Lightning Force has been delayed by 2 years. Here we look at how UK F-35s numbers are building up, issues that impact the pace of aircraft delivery and how this affects the carrier air group generation.
UK to purchase at least 74 F-35 jets
It was revealed yesterday that the MoD is in negotiations with the F-35 Joint Project Office to buy another tranche of F-35 jets. This second batch will consist of 26 aircraft, in addition to the 48 already under contract.
Delivery of many critical Royal Navy capabilities still years away
On 21 February the MoD published the Defence Equipment Plan (EP) which focuses on procurement for the next decade. Here we take an overview of some of the implications for naval capability.
Salvaging the jet – the race to recover the ditched F-35 from the seabed
On the morning of the 17th November, a UK-owned F-35B crashed into the sea while flying from HMS Queen Elizabeth. The pilot ejected safely but there is now a scramble to retrieve the wreckage of the aircraft. Here we look at the options available and the challenges involved.More