UK personnel shortfall puts drag on F-35B force development

While delays to the buildup of the UK's F-35B Lightning Force have pushed back the establishment of a second front-line squadron, the MoD insists that it is still expected to achieve its planned full operating capability in 2025. (Janes/Patrick Allen)

Delays to the buildup of the UK's F-35B Lightning Force have pushed back the establishment of a second front-line squadron to the end of 2023, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has confirmed.

Despite this, the MoD insists that the Lightning Force is still expected to achieve its planned full operating capability (FOC) in 2025.

Currently, the Lightning Force – jointly manned by Royal Air Force (RAF) and Royal Navy (RN) personnel – comprises one front-line squadron (617 Squadron) and an Operational Conversion Unit (207 Squadron) – both based at RAF Marham. A second front-line unit, 809 Naval Air Squadron (NAS), was scheduled to stand up in the second quarter of 2023, leading to FOC in 2025 when the Lightning Force will be able to operationally deploy both squadrons concurrently.

However, in a 10 July letter to the chair of the House of Commons Defence Committee, Minister of State for Defence Procurement James Cartlidge revealed that 809 NAS would not now stand up until December 2023 and will then “further mature to deliver an operational capability in 2025”. He added that Lightning Force FOC “is still predicted to be achieved in 2025”.