USMC F35B's will deploy from HMS Queen Elizbeth in 2021

Intersting development, can't say it is completely suprising though.

Source

Our discussion today has focused on three areas. First, on maximizing the opportunities that that strategic defense review opened up; on capability, where we're buying maritime patrol aircraft and the next generation of Apache helicopters; on operability -- interoperability, where today I can welcome the commitment of the United States to deploying F-35s on the first operational deployment of Queen Elizabeth -- the HMS Queen Elizabeth in 2021. And in the fullness of time, we expect our F-35s to be welcome on the American carriers in -- in -- like for like.

I think we are going to hook up with Russia ,as well,eventually.

a reply to: Bfirez

Hmm. That's curious. I'd like to hear the rationale for deploying on someone else's ship. Would seem like we are either saying "Hey, we don't have enough ships to cover our AOR" or "We can land these suckers anywhere, so any allied ship to the US has become a sovereign US VSTOL carrier."

I would have more expected them to say that the US is committed to supplying the first UK squadron with UK F-35s to support the UK's air/sea presence.

a reply to: cosmania

I believe its because we will have the ships but no aircraft.

Once the US has plenty F35 they will be using some off our new ships,
before we have taken delivery of any airframes to use off them ourselves.

Embarrassing yes. At least the British crews can get training sooner however.

Doubtless American admirals too, to go with the french captains, and french aircrews.

a reply to: cosmania

It's an exchange program. The RAF has crews flying B-2s, P-8s, RC-135s and more. We're sending our aircraft to fly with them to strengthen our ability to work together.

a reply to: Zaphod58

RAF personnel have hours on some of the most sensitive toys in the US arsenal, I'm led to understand that at least one British crew member has experience of the lady in the topic of this post Zaph

UK personnel returning from US duties with classified equipment are put through an extended "decontamination" security briefing on their return to UK squadron availability, always in the presence of at least one US security officer to make sure OPSEC boundaries are strictly defined and adhered to.

a reply to: TheBogmonster

There are very few platforms they don't fly while on exchange.

Wow didn't know the RAF had b-2 pilots so done a little searching and found this nice article. Nice little read. Lucky bugger.
www.raf.mod.uk...

a reply to: Zaphod58

Zaphod, I've met many exchange pilots, but I haven't seen an exchange squadron. Not an entire unit. I had 2 F-4 guys transition to the F-14 in my class, but just haven't heard of that scale.

a reply to: cosmania

I've heard of it happening, but it's extremely rare. Once or twice Marine AV-8 units operated from UK carriers.

a reply to: Zaphod58

That's why I posted the article. It was not something I could recall us having done on a unit level scale except maybe in WWII?

a reply to: Bfirez

a reply to: Zaphod58

But was that a one off or short deployment, or a unit assigned to the boat?

a reply to: Bfirez

That particular one was a JTFX off the East Coast. The deployment in the article is so that the UK can operate their carriers while getting their F-35s stood up. They won't reach FOC for both land and sea until 2023. They're planning IOC for land units in 2018.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Have you heard of them doing any comparable deployments in recent history? Seems like an interesting concept, I know it has been proven feasible in the past but I wonder if this this is the start of a trend beyond when the UK begins receiving their birds.

a reply to: Bfirez

I wouldn't be surprised to see them go beyond FOC. The current exchange program is pretty exclusively UK pilots and crews working on US aircraft. It would be good for them to go the other way, with both aircraft and crews.

a reply to: Zaphod58

For sure, I wonder if the french will try to get on the action as well. Definetly looking forward to some of those videos!

a reply to: Bfirez

The French have flown off our CVNs a couple of times, including one fairly lengthy deployment while the de Gaul was in drydock.

a reply to: Bfirez

There are contingency plans for both carriers, a task unit at the MoD created them as soon as F35 began to run into troubles..

The French have an agreement that at short notice upto 20 Rafales can be flown from either carrier should the CDG experience extreme failures or if the UK desperately needs carrier air cover (at all times the Rafales would remain under French command) Obviously France still has an open option for extended full use of carrier 2 if they request it, that was agreed many years ago but not made widely public.

A second contingency was discussed (and some technical feasibility work undertaken) for carrier capable Typhoons to be created under an extension to Tranche 3 - in fact two test aircraft did do some pretty heavy testing at both Warton and Lossiemouth with instrumentation on landing gear and engines for deck landing stresses. The original Typhoon design (like Tornado before it) featured arrestor hook mounting points and I'm aware of at least one scrapped Trance 1 Typhoon that had a hook added and tested very early on in the program.

Now that F35's timelime has sort of leveled out, the contingencies are on hold but they are there if absolutely needed.