RAF Marham jet first to land on HMS Prince of Wales aircraft carrier
The F-35B jets are based at RAF Marham in Norfolk.
An F-35B jet from RAF Marham in Norfolk has safely landed on board the HMS Prince of Wales aircraft carrier.
It's the first fixed-wing aircraft to have landed on the Royal Navy's new aircraft carrier and has been described by the Royal Air Force as "a significant step toward the 65,000 tonne vessel reaching full operational capability".
The trials are aimed at testing the ship's capability to receive and launch aircraft while maintaining continuous operations.
Defence Secretary, Ben Wallace, said: "“The vital partnership between HMS Prince of Wales and our F-35B aircraft signifies a momentous milestone in the capability of the fifth-generation carrier, marking another step towards it becoming fully operational.
"The first jet landing is a huge achievement for all involved and showcases the collaboration across the UK Armed Forces and our impressive Carrier Strike capabilities.”
Squadron Leader Will, 207 Squadron F-35B Pilot, said: “It was a real honour to be the first pilot to land the F-35B onboard HMS Prince of Wales.
"With all the training that we have previously undertaken with HMS Queen Elizabeth, we are now looking forward to using that experience and knowledge working with HMS Prince of Wales as she moves towards her full operational capability.”
As announced by the Prime Minister last November, Defence has received an increase in funding of over £24 billion across the next four years, enabling our Armed Forces to adapt to meet future threats.
Further enhanced by the commitments outlined in the Defence Command Paper, the F-35B is an integral air capability and HMS Prince of Wales marks a step change in the Royal Navy fleet as the second of the UK’s fifth-generation aircraft carriers.