UK sign F-35B contract

F-35B aircraft BF-4, piloted by Lockheed Martin Test Pilot Dan Levin, starts down the runway as part of wet runway and crosswind testing ...

F-35B aircraft BF-4, piloted by Lockheed Martin Test Pilot Dan Levin, starts down the runway as part of wet runway and crosswind testing at Edwards AFB, California. (Lockheed Martin photo by Tom Reynolds)

UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) has signed a contract for the production of first batch of four Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II stealth combat aircraft.

The contract forms part of the UK’s investment in Lightning II over the next 5 years to procure an initial 14 of these multi-role fifth generation aircraft, as well as putting in place the necessary support arrangements and infrastructure.

The F-35Bs will operate from both the Royal Navy’s new Elizabeth class aircraft carriers which are under construction, and land bases, initially based at RAF Marham airbase.The first batch is expected to be delivered in 2016 and will take up station in 2018.
Further contracts will cover the procurement of a range of equipment such as engines.
Recently, UK test team has completed initial aircraft handling trials for MBDA ASRAAM air to air missile and Paveway IV Laser Guided Bomb on the F-35B aircraft.
Trial rounds, which are identical to the operational weapons, were tested for the first time during a series of flights from the US Navy’s test facility at Patuxent River Naval Air Station in Maryland.

The F-35B has short take off and vertical landing (STOVL) and feature the latest stealth capabilities alongside intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR) technology.