Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 5:03:26-5:03:40

Joint RAF and Royal Navy F-35B procurement

Britain procures the F-35B jointly, producing embarked squadrons with deliberately mixed service identity.

F-35BFleet Air ArmQueen Elizabeth Class Aircraft CarriersRoyal Air Force
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Question

Is the RAF receiving F-35Bs alongside the Royal Navy?

Short answer

Yes; it is a joint programme, and embarked squadrons can combine RAF identity with Royal Navy command.

Notes

The Royal Air Force and Royal Navy acquire the F-35B through a joint programme. That arrangement pools a small national force rather than creating wholly separate aircraft fleets. The squadron then aboard a Queen Elizabeth-class carrier carried an RAF identity while operating under a Royal Navy commander. British carrier aviation crosses formal service boundaries in procurement, command, and deployment. A squadron's badge alone does not describe the whole institutional structure behind the embarked air group.