The UK has now received 40 of its planned fleet of 48 F-35B Lightning aircraft, following the latest delivery flight.
According to defence aviation trackers, aircraft 39 and 40 arrived yesterday, bringing the total delivered to 40.
40/48 F-35B on order delivered.
40:
18 – Carrier Deployment
17 – UK Training
4 – US Trials & Development Unit
1 – Lost https://t.co/XvXSUijVzq— Britsky (@TBrit90) August 19, 2025
Of these, 18 are assigned to carrier strike deployments, 17 are used for training in the UK, and four are with the U.S. test and development unit. One aircraft has previously been lost in an accident. The deliveries mark a significant milestone in the UK’s Lightning Force build-up. Eight aircraft remain to be delivered under the current order of 48, with decisions on further procurement expected as part of the government’s future combat air planning.
How many more?
The UK expects to complete procurement of an additional 12 F-35A and 15 F-35B aircraft by 2033, with the initial batch of 48 F-35Bs due for delivery by March 2026, according to statements made in the House of Lords.
Speaking during a defence question session, Minister of State at the Ministry of Defence Lord Coaker confirmed that the second phase of the UK’s F-35 programme will include 27 aircraft: “12 F-35As and 15 F-35Bs, which will enable the stand-up of the third front-line squadron focused on F-35Bs.”
He added that the government remains committed to acquiring 138 F-35s over the life of the programme, as first stated in its long-term plans. Lord Coaker also confirmed that the decision to procure F-35As now, ahead of the Defence Investment Plan expected this autumn, was taken in light of “serious geopolitical challenges” and does not alter the total number of aircraft planned. He said it was “important that we made that decision at this particular time in the light of the threat that we face.”
Responding to concerns raised by Lord Houghton of Richmond, Coaker acknowledged that the 12 F-35As would replace 12 of the originally planned F-35Bs and that the A variant is “some 20% cheaper,” saving approximately $240 million. However, he also confirmed that the UK currently lacks the sovereign air-to-air refuelling capability for the F-35A, meaning allied support will be necessary: “He is right about the refuelling capability; there will need to be allied support for that,” Coaker said.
Pressed by Lord West of Spithead, Coaker declined to commit to a review of the UK’s nuclear doctrine but noted that doctrine is always under consideration. He also reaffirmed that the broader investment decisions outlined in the Strategic Defence Review remain on track for the autumn, despite the timing of the F-35A announcement.
Baroness Goldie sought assurance on delivery timelines, to which Coaker responded that he had “every confidence” in meeting the procurement schedule for both variants.
This F35A decision has to be one of the daftest things ever outlined by the government. A saving of $240 million is nothing. How can these planes possibly carry a nuclear bomb when they can’t be refuelled.
How can they train on a nuclear mission if they are also the OCU.
I’m not sure who came up with this nonsense but they need to be shot.
F35A makes lots of sense if we are buying 75 of them an operating three extra squadrons. It makes zero sense to buy 12 as the OCU.
This government isnt exactly lining up the great decisions to pick from, think the only thing they have managed to do correctly is hand a letter from the King to the US president.
There have been successes under this government. Unfortunately, the nature of media often ensured that they aren’t reported.
What a load of absolute crap. If you can’t post anything sensible why don’t you fcuk off? How about trying Guido Fawkes? You get the same complete bollox there too
Fair enough—sometimes the internet seems to reward shouting louder than making sense. At least it’s consistent!
I may not agree with Jim on everything, but I do appreciate that he genuinely cares about the UK military. Telling someone to ‘fuck off’ in a debate only makes you look foolish and irrelevant.
Your comments are very rude and offensive in reply to a reasoned and sensible comment . I am surprised that you are still allowed to post on this site . If you cannot be polite please keep quiet . There is a very good saying – good manners don’t cost anything .
As I understand how this “Bone Chillingly, Slow, Risk Overse, Polically and Financially Shackled” process that is called “UK defence procurement” goes it makes comeplete sense. The present fully funded equipment plan of record contains the funding for 25 extra F35B’s which has long been scheduled to be announced right about now (at the latest).
So it’s in the plan, the Treasury has counted out the number of Pennies and the next “equipment plan” Oops sorry Defence Investment Plan (easy to remember acronym DIP$#1T if you think of the folks running it) and due to Politics they reallised that they really needed to announce it.
The timing was critical becuse it was “important that we made that decision at this particular time in the light of the threat that we face.”
That immediate threat being faced wasn’t Russia but far more immediate to Starmer as he was off to the NATO / Trump Arse kicking session and he was going to be the only NATO head of Government who had zero new US equipment on order.
TBH if it hadn’t been for that I think they would have delayed it and rolled the Finance over into the DIP and do what all Governments do reannonce it as new money.
But no 2 ways about it they will have to announce intent to order more F35Bs and A’s in the DIP or he is right back in the mire.
It’s for a NATO mission, and NATO has plenty of compatible tankers. And also we can always add a boom to the voyagers. You can have the boom and drogues fitted at the same time. There’s many years before the A models will be delivered.
I don’t get why people are so mad over a pretty straightforward decision. The A model is a lot cheaper to buy and run, it’s more capable, and it adds tactical nukes to our arsenal. Maybe it won’t be the perfect decision, but anyone who says it’s one of the daftest things ever just hasn’t really put much thought into it.
The purchase of 12 A models instead of Bs is really just a means for the RAF to get their foot in the door so that they can argue that:
1. Buying more A’s makes sense as 12 isn’t enough for training and the Nuclear role.
2. The A is cheaper to buy and run than the B so will be easier on the Treasury. Hence all future purchases will be As
3. Then, we don’t have enough aircraft for 2 carriers so let’s get rid of one.
4. Then, one carrier can’t guarantee there will always be one available so let’s get rid of it.
The RAF have been trying to get rid of fixed wing naval aviation since 1918. They’ve come close a few times, they won’t stop trying anytime soon.
Ironic since 2 of the most successful RAF aircraft, the F4 Phantom and the Buccaneer, were RN choices I think 🙂
I don’t see us getting rid of the carriers. They represent a 20% addition to USN carrier fleet and arguably more than 50% of European carrier strike. They make the world a safer place. All of that said it does look as if we are headed for a larger buy of A at the expense of B. Tricky budget balancing act.
How many aircraft in each operational squadron? Is it 12? So we have 8 more F35Bs on order and then we are getting 12 (minimum) F35As. I wonder what the final mix will be? 4 operational B squadrons would be 48 aircraft plus a few spares and some test airframes – let’s say 60 F35Bs total. That’s not enough to operate both carriers at once but this was never the idea. The point of having two carriers is that one is available and the other in refit.
What about the A version. We are getting one sqn to do training tasks and drop US/NATO nukes if the balloon goes up but is that enough? The small Typhoon fleet seems to be completely committed to air defence. The RAF never received a replacement for the deep strike role of Vulcan and then Tornado. With the Russians the way they are we are going to need that role revived. I’d go for another 60 F35As in four squadrons that we can base forward in Eastern Europe. That’s a total of 120 in 8 squadrons, less than the original 138 envisioned. Mind you we’d probably have to buy more as these aircraft have to last well into the 2040s. Pie in the sky or common sense?
I hope if we ever need to use tactical nukes it will be a one off exercise involving a small number of aircraft. I would say 12 is easy enough for the role they are being acquired for.
Why would 60 F35B’s not be enough to operate both Carriers at once?
Theoretically you could but the war load for a QE Class carrier would be 30+, 3 squadrons. Also, just like ships, aircraft need down time, you just can’t have them all flying around at once if you want to keep the force in being for when you really need it. Of course, all of this is rubbish because until we actually manage to integrate UK weapons on these they are as much use as Spitfires.
No?
The UK has bought the AIM-120D, which is still an extremely capable BVRAAM. In an air to air role, the F-35B is very capable.
Hi Rob, I’d be amazed if there wasn’t another future buy announced in the upcoming DIP, 12 just isn’t enough and as the NEW CDS is an RAF man then its almost a certainty that we will see another larger buy of F36A’s in the future equipment budget (we are commited to buy 138 so 64 to go).
As for the B’s the 4 test Airframes are supposedly being revamped to operational standard which would give us 62 F35B’s and that should do the RN nicely.
Fingers crossed.
I suspect we will see the A fleet slowly build up to 60 odd aircraft.
The RAF wants Gen5 capability now, its more important to them then modifying a handful of Tranche 3 Thypoons.
I suspect we will see a further order in the Autumn defence equipment budget and a steady stream of further orders. If Tempest stalls, then the RAF will simply double down on F35A instead.
They clearly want to get to a Gen5/6 frontline by 2040
The GCAP is a successor to Tornado (and spiritually Vulcan) in terms of its role, which will focus on deep strike (as well as air defence).
Don’t see the point buying these, we could have loads of Tucano’s instead.
Fit them with Blue Parrot radar. Bargain!
Good news. O/T but several sources reporting sucessful British Army sucessful testing of Javelin on a Boxer RS4.
Christ, we’ll be using Bows and Arrows next.
Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, stones and sticks, with ‘aspirations’ of bows….
We get bows equipped for, but not fitted with Arrows perhaps.
Life begins at 40?