The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter will be the new multirole fast jet for the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force. It will serve as the strike capability for the new Queen Elizabeth Aircraft Carrier and will partner the Typhoon to form the future fast jet fleet for the RAF. There are three variants of the Joint Strike Fighter. The Government attracted criticism for its decision in 2010 to select a different variant to that originally chosen by the previous Government, and again for reverting back to the original choice two years later.
The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (569 KB , PDF)
The F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter is the new combat aircraft for the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy. It is a fifth generation multi-role fighter with stealth capabilities.
Lightning II will partner Typhoon to provide the RAF’s future fast-jet fleet from 2019 and provide the carrier strike capability for the new Queen Elizabeth-class Aircraft Carriers from 2020 onwards.
The programme is forecast to cost just over £5 billion so far. The bulk order not expected to be placed until 2017. The total fleet size is not expected to be confirmed until the next Strategic and Defence Review at the earliest.
The UK is buying the Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) variant, one of three variants produced by Lockheed Martin. This variant was selected in 2002 but in 2010 the new Government controversially switched to the Carrier variant. This had a knock-on effect of delaying into service the new aircraft carriers currently under construction. In 2012 the Government reversed its position and recommitted to the STOVL variant.
This note provides a short history of the programme for the United Kingdom.
The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (569 KB , PDF)
A debate on UK Government support for the explosive ordnance disposal community is scheduled to take place on Wednesday 11 December 2024, from 9:30 to 11:00am. The debate will be opened by Helen Maguire MP.
This paper summarises UK defence expenditure (current, historic and planned). It also looks at international comparisons of the defence spending of NATO allies and UK spending in some key areas, including equipment and military operations.
The government will publish a strategic defence review in 2025, considering threats to the UK and how to meet them. What do we know about it so far?