Britain has deployed a number of F-35B fighter jets to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, according to open-source flight tracking data, as tensions in the Middle East continue to rise.

The aircraft departed RAF Marham in eastern England and were supported by RAF Voyager aerial refuelling tankers during the transit. The deployment adds to the UK’s existing air presence at Akrotiri, which has long served as a key operating base for British military activity in the region. It is understood that the new deployment of capabilities is focused on defensive measures, mainly detecting and defeating airborne threats around the base.

The movement of the F-35Bs was identified through monitoring of publicly available flight data by our senior editor, Jon.

RAF Akrotiri has built up into a notably busy operating base, hosting a mix of frontline fast jets and supporting enablers. The current footprint seems to include a sizeable Typhoon presence alongside a smaller detachment of F-35B Lightning aircraft, backed by Voyager tanker support.

A Ministry of Defence spokesperson told the UK Defence Journal:

“We regularly review the capability and force protection of our overseas bases, including the Sovereign Base Areas. This recent movement of additional capabilities is part of our ongoing work to support security and stability in the Middle East.”

The deployment comes as the United States has also increased airlift activity into the region. Publicly available flight tracking also indicates a surge in U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster movements into multiple bases across the Middle East, including in Jordan, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

RAF Akrotiri itself is one of Britain’s most important overseas military facilities and has been used for operations across the Middle East for more than a decade, including air missions against Islamic State under Operation Shader.

George Allison
George Allison
George Allison is the founder and editor of the UK Defence Journal. He holds a degree in Cyber Security from Glasgow Caledonian University and specialises in naval and cyber security topics. George has appeared on national radio and television to provide commentary on defence and security issues. Twitter: @geoallison
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35 COMMENTS

    • A small part of the UK’s F35B fleet has deployed to a land base with a tarmac runway.

      Why would you send a carrier with all the protection it needs when you have a perfectly good airbase there?

      We would need to send QEC, T45, T23 and tanker at minimum. ATM the biggest issue would be the T23 as there are 3 T45’s at various levels of readiness.

      Why disrupt the normal training cycle ‘because’ we can and there are plenty enough F35B in the UK to send a CSG somewhere else where there isn’t a nice airbase that come complete with temperate climate etc. So why not let the aircrew be rotated through a nice location that people pay money to go an visit?

        • The maintainers and ground crew will travel alongside the frames.

          Easy enough to charter a couple of civvy aircraft to shift that sort of number of people.

          Their kit goes in the back of a C17 or A400M.

          There is quite a lot of accommodation on base there.

        • The biggest lack there are real HAS complexes for the aircraft, and permanent GBAD.
          The fast air dets are living in a rather heath Robinson set up with revetments in the S East corner and under hangers to keep the sun off.
          Otherwise it’s a big base with I understand all the required wings for an RAF Station, which are a mix of Army/RAF.
          Plus the crews which will accompany the new arrivals.

    • Open your brain and appreciate that Akrotiri Cyprus is the best UK “aircraft carrier” in the Med . A QEC carrier is unnecessary in that part of teh World.

  2. Also seeing Chinooks In Jordan.

    (I’m not actually in Jordan, I’ve never even been there, nor have I ever Met Her, just sayin)

    • The Chinnys do regularly go to Jordan and Oman for desert training.

      The sand in Jordan is almost powdery in consistency, so gets and sticks everywhere. Whereas a lot of Oman’s is really gritty.

      I have been to Jordan, but never in, however did meet her in Bosnia, when she was part of the CSE circus (showing my age now).

    • Halfwit you seem to be sniffing around a lot of places where the military are located of late, while notably denying there is any significance in it, methinks you doth protest your innocence too much my friend. Let’s put it this way if this were the Traitors I suspect you might be banished. But don’t worry I won’t tell a soul, but so as you know, I am happy to be paid in roubles or Yen wink, wink😉.

      • Mate, what can I say ? I just always seem to be in the right place at the right time !
        To be honest, there are a few others on here who could benifit from “getting out more” but It’s fun seeing all the grumpy folk typing away with such devastating and hurtfull comments 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 I particularly enjoy such Banter !

        Off out again on Monday, not sure where yet, maybe It’ll be better conditions to go to the Desert “dan saff” (Dungeness, for anyone not knowing ! ) Or maybe Up the road to Northumberland, not sure really but It’ll be nice to get away from all these bloody noisey Yanks doing Maverick Impressions !

  3. If they are there for defence we better insure some form of ballistic missile protection on the base. They are will within range of Iranian ballistic missiles. No doubt Israel’s arrow 3 will provide some protection but the base needs some form of terminal protection along the lines of Patriot or Aster 30.

    We should really have a T45 out there now. The US is pretty cocky, its is use to bombing people and having no one shoot back but with modern ballistic missiles and drones, even less capable adversaries like Iran can strike back. America has many Gucci irreplaceable aircraft and if you look at places like Diego Garcia they are rarely under concrete protection and have next to no GBAD.

    Great pride comes before a fall.

    The same cocky attitude prevailing in Sunday morning in the 7th of December 1941.

    • Not Wrong. A lot of people planning a lot of revenge I suspect that might become more obvious towards the end of this Presidency especially if he becomes a dead man walking or unfortunately for the next one.

  4. Oh FFS just keep out of this, its not our problem and it’s no direct security risk to us. We don’t need to motivate another generation of terrorists to target us. And we can’t even properly defend our own corner of the world as it is without wasting scarce resources on a foreign problem half the world away.

    • Iran does call US ‘The Great Satan’ and UK ‘The Little Satan’ so we are in it wether we want to be or not.

      Sending the F35B is actually quite interesting as, on the face of it, they don’t have the weapons fit to be of much use….clearly they do have something….and if they are being used as sensors then they must be networked to the effectors on Typhoon? They won’t be reading out coordinates, in clipped tones, over RT.

      • We’re only the little Satan because we’ve been happy to be US’s poodle for too long. The US don’t deserve our support.

      • Clearly the British F-35B’s have what’s been advertised: 500lb bombs and a couple of air to air missile types. No stand off A2G.

        Typhoon is not a whole lot better armed.

        • Typhoon is a whole lot better armed and has plenty of options as was demonstrated last time the balloon went up.

          The question is where is the target data coming from?

          Previously AWACS – trouble is we don’t have any of those anymore and the E7s we have on order only the first one is doing trials and is not at IOC yet.

      • Well the only weapons they do have are defensive ones so would be of use against some incoming threats but yes their sensors and networking will be very useful I suspect considering our limited other options. Can’t believe we would be stupid enough to contemplate offensive actions. But yes we are a target like it or not as with Russia avoiding direct attacks on the US will be the Iranian priority whatever their bluster, previous events have shown that when they told the US what they planned to do. It will be a massive change to stop us being seen as the little Satan and you can just imagine how Russia would be urging them along to hit us their avowed historical enemy. In Countries like that history plays a vital role to fuel an oppressed population.

  5. A sensible, proportionate precaution I think.
    We are defending the SBA just in case, with what’s available. Why would some find fault with that?

      • As queried elsewhere I wonder if the idea is that they would work together in some semblance of the the form that it has long been theorised 5th and 4th Gen aircraft would operate together.

      • Well, I’d never go as far as to say that. I comment on what I know, orbats, infrastructure, organisation.
        Who are we here to declare we know better than the professionals in the military who know what they are doing?
        Are you or anyone else here an ex or current RAF pilot with the latest data on Typhoon and F35, with accompanying latest intelligence updates?
        I trust they know what they’re doing, it’s their job!
        On Typhoon, which has Meteor, they are at least already deployed and assume MoD assess that 10 are enough.

        • Ahh, “Who are we here to declare we know better than the professionals in the military who know what they are doing” ?

          Oh bugger, I thought I was on a site ram packed full of Professionals who knew better.
          Must find me a better site me thinks.

          Got any suggestions guys ?

          (hard hat on, taking cover now)

          • To be fair mate, this site has several SMEs who are just that, of which I’m definitely not one of them. I just know lots of general stuff.
            I still think most here just have a passing interest, are ex military, or simply have an opinion.
            So one needs to be careful as we really don’t know Jack shit unless you’re on the inside.
            Obviously, F35 was deployed for a reason, and I doubt that’s because we don’t have any other Typhoon to deploy.
            Even with the 12 at Red Flag, 10 on Shader, 4 at MPA, and those on QRA N&S.

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