W
HEN WG CDR John
‘Butch’ Butcher
touched down at RAF
Marham on June 6 in
the rst of four F-35Bs
for No 617 Squadron
‘Dambusters’, it kick-started a long and
carefully planned process to establish a
new British carrier air power capability.
It’s a capability that doesn’t come cheap,
so every e ort is being made to ensure
that the full range of potential is realized
and exploited.
Chief of the Air Sta ACM Sir Stephen
Hillier said, ‘In the RAF’s centenary year,
it’s great to see the most advanced and
dynamic ghter jet in our history arrive
today at RAF Marham — and with the
modern ‘Dambusters’ in the cockpit, this
homecoming truly feels like an historic
moment in British air power.’
The UK, as the only non-US Tier
1 partner in the F-35 program, has
nurtured strong participation from boththe industry and operational standpoint.
The UK brie y dabbled with the F-35C
carrier variant when the short take-o
and vertical landing (STOVL) F-35B was
in trouble and on probation in 2011.
However, as the cost of ‘cats and traps’
being retro tted to the new Queen
Elizabeth-class carriers became apparent,
and as the F-35B enjoyed renewed
con dence, the Ministry of Defence
settled on the B-model for its rst tranche
of procurement.
Unlike countries such as Israel, which
swiftly acquired and received aircraft on
home soil, the UK opted for a di erent
approach — building its Lightning Force
in concert with the US Marine Corps.
VMFAT-501 ‘Warlords’ started British
instructor pilot (IP) training followed by
the building of squadron personnel ahead
of the UK return. Air Cdre David Bradshaw,
Lightning Force commander, commented,
‘The generation of the aircraft at
VMFAT-501 at Beaufort has been a massiveThe arrival of the fi rst
F-35Bs for No 617 Squadron
‘Dambusters’ in June was
the fi rst step in the plan to
establish an impressive new
expeditionary air power
capability for the UK.REPORT Jamie Hunter
team e ort with US Marines, Royal Air
Force, Royal Navy and contractors.’ The
staggered return of British assets and
personnel to the UK ts a strategy to
rst establish a front-line capability in
the ‘Dambusters’, followed by No 207
Squadron, the operational conversion
unit (OCU), which will be formed in July
2019, after which a second operational
squadron — the Royal Navy’s 809 Naval
Air Squadron — is established.
Bradshaw said, ‘When we get to a
suitable size with the ‘Dambusters’ as
a super-squadron, it will split into two
halves, with 809 Naval Air Squadron
becoming the second operational
unit, and the two will continue to grow
over time towards full strength by the
end of 2023.’
From August 18, No 617 Squadron will
start its work-up to initial operational
capability (IOC). Highlights will include
weapons carriage phases and expected
participation in Exercise ‘Cobra Warrior’,Below: The
Lightning Force
launched its fi rst
F-35B mission
from RAF Marham
on June 28.
Crown Copyright
Right: British
pilots and
maintainers have
been training
alongside the US
Marine Corps at
MCAS Beaufort.
Jamie Hunter40 September 2018 //^ http://www.combataircraft.net
40-43 F-35 UK C.indd 40 18/07/2018 15:41