in March, ahead of their return to RAF
Marham in August.
This will be an event marked with huge
symbolism as it will coincide with the 75th
anniversary of formation of 617 Sqn for the
famous Dams raids in 1943. It will also be
just a few days before the RAF celebrates its
100th birthday on April 1.
Soon afterwards, 617 will begin preparing
to ferry its jets across the Atlantic to
Marham in Norfolk, where contractors are
constructing new facilities that include
a Maintenance and Finishing Facility,
simulation centre and vertical landing pads.
Once back in the UK, crews will be
working up for their first embarked test and
evaluation cruise on HMS Queen Elizabeth
in home waters during 2018.
While 617 Sqn is settling back into
Marham – it previously flew the Tornado
from the base – the carrier will cross the
Atlantic to begin what are termed the First of
Class Flight Trials (FOCFT) in October and
November 2018. The FOCFT project will
start with the carrier’s deck crew becoming
familiar with the jets, their noise and how
they move around the deck.
The intensity of the trials will ramp up
until aircraft and crews are conducting
multiple flight cycles – launching and
recovering jets during three-to-four-hour-long
blocks – each day. These will involve day
and night flying.
The first phase of the trials will
concentrate on vertical landings and take-
offs and then move onto the shipborne
rolling vertical landing (SRVL) technique.
Test pilots will be carrying out verticallandings day and night, and in crosswinds.
In the second phase they will be performing
SRVL up to sea state five (rough), then
crews will introduce stores and asymmetry
into the trials. It is intended to split the tests
into two, four-week-long periods, with time in
port to rest the crew.
Once the carrier and crew have proved
that the F-35B can safely operate from the
deck, the aircraft will be granted a formal
release to service to enable frontline
squadron personnel to fly from the deck.
This will open the way for 617 to carry
out the first full operational test and
evaluation on board to prove that the carrier
strike concept can work in practice. The
successful conclusion will enable the Royal
Navy and RAF to declare initial operating
capability for the UK’s Carrier Strike ability.
Full operating capability is due to be attained
in 2024. A maximum of 40 F-35Bs are
envisioned to be embarked.LIGHTNING FORCE
To sustain the UK’s Carrier Strike far into
the future, the RAF and Royal Navy are
establishing a dedicated organisation to
operate Britain’s F-35 fleet. Known as the
Lightning Force, it comprises 60% personnel
from the air force and 40% from the navy. A
RAF air commodore heads the organisation,
which sits under RAF Air Command at RAF
High Wycombe.
There will eventually be six main
squadron-sized elements of Lightning Force,
which will comprise mixed manning from
the navy and air force. Officers from each
service will take turns to lead, so although
the squadrons will have titles and traditions
drawn from the air force and navy, they will
not be single-service units with separate
chains of command.
It is the intention that the bulk of Lightning
Force will based at RAF Marham, but it
is expected that most of 17(R) Sqn willhttp://www.aviation-news.co.uk 57An F-35B over RAF Marham where the type will be based in the UK. Extensive work is taking place at the station in preparation for the arrival of
the Lightning II. Crown copyright 2016Both RAF and Royal Navy personnel will make up the future Lightning Force on a 60:40
percentage split. Crown copyright 201554-58_raf_f35DC.mf.indd 57 30/11/2017 12:18