UK F35b delivery and CVF delivery schedule

UK defense ministry confirms aircraft carrier will be late

http://navaltoday.com/2017/02/01/uk-defense-ministry-confirms-aircraft-carrier-will-be-late/

Does anyone know the actual delivery schedule for the raf and fleet air arm lightning 2 f35b? Also is the basing set for raf marham or will the navy after training settle to a navy airbase.

The F-35B will operate from Marham in a joint pool of aircraft, it makes no sense for the RN to duplicate support facilities. The two RAF and two RN squadrons will have a mix of RN/RAF personnel. RAF Marham will also curiously have an RN MET office.

With HMS queen Elizabeth and HMS prince of wales what are the delivery and in service dates. I heard the first deployment will be 2021 with the US marines deploying aboard with the Royal Navy. I also wonder if it will just be with f35b or some helicopters and perhaps some marines or will the Royal Marines deploy aboard or just a pure aircraft carrier. How much of the training will be in the USA.

Testing will start later this year after sea trials with Helicopters then in 2018 there will be F-35B trials off the cost of the US. 2021 is technically the FOC but that is a rather fluid concept. A separate agreement has been signed with the USMC and they will be regular visitors on the QE class, it is a good deal for them and us as it allows us to speed up the ship aircraft integration whilst they get access to another large deck. The RN is also VERY KEEN for the USMC to bring some of the MV-22 with them especially if it includes the new Air to Air refuelling system they are currently testing.

I hope the Royal Navy really get a good chance to train with the carrier before deployment. Perhaps dual operating with US NAVY assault ship or perhaps Italian Cavour carrier or French Charles de-Gaulle carrier to get the skills perfected. I don’t know the ins and outs of operations for each nation to know how similar they are.

This has already been happening for a number of years with RN personnel deployed to the USN and French Navy. Recently RN ASaC 7 were deployed to France to refresh themselves in fighter control techniques.

Any news on what the carrier escort will normally be? Will the type 45 or type 26 have its engines corrected and be starting to enter service.

The Escort will by Type 45, Type 23, Type 26, Astute class and possibly Type 31 if it has the pant to keep up with the carrier. The size of the escort will depend on the situation and in Peacetime will be more dictated by fleet availability. If we are not at war there is no point tying up lots of Destroyers, Frigates and Hunter Killers.

I would still like to see a sea ceptor missile set on the carrier. I would say it’s a must for an 4+ cell that can be quad packed. I would obviously prefer a group of cells larger than 4 and the should be the larger quad packed cell for future needs.
Using invincible class as an experience from there sea dart is not that relevant due to different threats, escort levels etc between then and now. Was the sea dart any use to the carrier? This is purely about my personal knowledge.

Many would like that but it would entail more money being spent and duplicates a capability the Escorts already have. Not ideal but the defence budget is finite. Self defence missiles is a nice to have luxury but with other things also making a call on the defence budget not essential. Sea Dart was more an inconvenience than a benefit, Sea Wolf would have been a far better choice and was going to be fitted in a quad cell format on the Invincible class until the idea was dropped in favour Phalanx, Goalkeeper and softkill solutions.

.

I see what your saying about raf owning them all. That means it comes out their budget hopefully for the navy. I get 4squadrons all together, 2 raf and 2 FAA that takes us to 48 aircraft and probably another 12 for operational conversion unit. That’s 60 what are the other 78 going to be used for. I know they don’t all come at once but still. Is there the space at raf Marham for more than 5 squadrons? Where will the other aircraft go?

If the QE attends any south coast Navy Days this year eg Plymouth or Portsmouth, I’m going by hook or by crook.

QE delivery schedule is outlined here….https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/hms-queen-elizabeth-sail-sea-trials-spring/
Ships Staff Move On Board (SSMOB) was planned for Jan 9th
Ready for Sea Date is due March 10
then 5-1-5 trials …Out of Rosyth, apparently alongside at Invergordon before finally arriving at Portsmouth

As I understand it, all the Lightnings will be owned by the RAF. 809 NAS will operate an unknown number of them (I’m guessing between 8 and 12) and will be based with the rest of the RAF machines at Marham. I’m not sure the two ships will have “air groups” in the US Nany sense but will rather continue the “Tailored Air Group” concept with different types of aircraft being assigned depending on mission.