The UK F-35s will be based at RAF Marham, Norfolk

RAF Marham base for Joint Strike Fighter

The RAF's newest aircraft, the Joint Strike Fighter, will be based in Norfolk, the defence secretary has revealed during a visit to the county.

Philip Hammond announced the decision that RAF Marham would home the aircraft on a trip to the base.

The facility, where Tornado aircraft are stationed, had been threatened with closure under the government's defence review but won a reprieve in July 2011.

The fighter is built by Lockheed Martin and will be known as the Lightning Two.

Mr Hammond said that the Lightning Two squadron based at RAF Marham would be a joint RAF and Royal Navy force and the station would be responsible for support and maintenance of both land-based and aircraft carrier planes.

"The decision is extremely good news for the station, for the RAF, the Royal Navy and the local community.

"I hope everyone now gets behind this project during the huge amount of planning work required over the next months and years on the investment and the infrastructure needed.

"The world's most advanced fighter aircraft is to be based in Norfolk," he said.

Jobs secured

Mr Hammond said the future of the base, where 3,500 people are employed, was secure and this was good news for the 15,000 other local jobs which relied on the station.

The aircraft had a multi-role capability with advance weaponry, the latest camera technology for intelligence gathering and short take off capability for aircraft carrier duties.

"The transition to Lightning Two from the Tornado will take place over the remaining decade," Mr Hammond said.

"The numbers of service personnel, contractors and civilians at the station will remain about the same and that is a great reassurance to the local community."

Liz Truss, the MP for South West Norfolk, who had campaigned to keep RAF Marham open when it was threatened with closure was delighted the new aircraft would be based there.

"I'm absolutely delighted we're getting the world's most advanced fighter aircraft here at Marham and that it will be in service well past 2040.

"The long term future of the base is secured and that's important for local people and jobs," she said.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-21925225

Too early to know the squadron(s)?

Reported last weeks were 617sq and the test sq 17 as F-35 units so far. Royal Navy sqns not yet known.

Thanks!

I see you're from the Netherlands, do you know the squadrons planned for the RNlAF?

No, nothing seen yet... I do not think anything is decided yet. Although I suspect 322sq will continue to be active for historical reasons...

For the UK there certainly will be FAA F-35B squadrons, likely one or more of th original Harrier sqns (800, 801, 899). We shall see!

No, nothing seen yet... I do not think anything is decided yet. Although I suspect 322sq will continue to be active for historical reasons...

For the UK there certainly will be FAA F-35B squadrons, likely one or more of th original Harrier sqns (800, 801, 899). We shall see!

Hopefully, with time and as the budget allows. The UK can purchase further F-35's. Possibly, F-35A to replace the Tornado's. Then maybe the RAF could pass the older F-35B's back to the Royal Navy and get RAF Pilots off the Carriers.


Just saying..........


FLY NAVY

Dambusters squadron to fly the RAF's new £100million Joint Strike Fighter 17 Jul 2013 Daily Mail Reporter

"...Sir Stephen Dalton, Chief of the Air Staff, will today announce that the 617 pilots will transfer to the £100million state-of-the-art Joint Strike Fighter, or Lightning II, when it is introduced in three years....

...The RAF and Royal Navy will jointly operate a force of 48 fighter jets, which can be flown from land or sea....

...Formed in 1943, 617 Squadron will transfer from their current base at RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland to RAF Marham in Norfolk. The Navy will fly the jet from their new £6.2billion aircraft carriers...."

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... ghter.html

Dambusters squadron to fly the RAF's new £100million Joint Strike Fighter 17 Jul 2013 Daily Mail Reporter

"...Sir Stephen Dalton, Chief of the Air Staff, will today announce that the 617 pilots will transfer to the £100million state-of-the-art Joint Strike Fighter, or Lightning II, when it is introduced in three years....

...The RAF and Royal Navy will jointly operate a force of 48 fighter jets, which can be flown from land or sea....

...Formed in 1943, 617 Squadron will transfer from their current base at RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland to RAF Marham in Norfolk. The Navy will fly the jet from their new £6.2billion aircraft carriers...."

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... ghter.html

Yeah, I read that early today. To bad it wasn't a squadron of F-35C's minus some of the Naval Equipment.

Dambusters To Be Next Lightning II Squadron 18072013 18 Jul 2013

"...“Lightning shall be operated jointly by the Royal Air Force and Fleet Air Arm pilots, from land or from the Queen Elizabeth Class carrier. Overall, a hugely flexible and futuristic joint capability.”

The UK’s Lightning II is the Short Take Off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) variant of the Joint Strike Fighter, which will give the supersonic multi-role stealth aircraft the ability to operate from land or sea. When it reforms in 2016, 617 Squadron will have both RAF and Royal Navy personnel. The next squadron will carry a Royal Navy squadron number but be similarly jointly manned."

http://www.raf.mod.uk/news/archive/damb ... n-18072013

http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafcms/mediafiles ... D53E70.jpg

Why have one RAF and one RN Squadrons. Yet, mixed with pilots from both services???

Because they are mixed and sharing people? SaltyCrustaceans. And the UK Gubment said so.