Due to bad weather, the expected arrival of the first British F-35 jets to the UK today has been cancelled.

Just wait for the tabloid headings erroneously claiming the F-35 can’t fly in bad weather. Just wait for them. 

The jets will arrive at the earliest opportunity and remain two months ahead of schedule. Rightfully, the RAF want to ensure optimal conditions for the flight, and safety remains paramount. Tomorrow remains a possibility.

Obviously these aircraft can fly in bad weather but given there’s no operational imperative to do so, they’re not taking the risk with the lives of those involved for a photo-op. This is standard practice with all types unless on operations, risking crew and equipment when not required would be foolish. Let’s not forget the risk bad weather adds to aerial refuelling.

An MoD spokesperson said:

“Due to adverse weather conditions, the planned departure of the UK’s jets from the US will not take place today. They will arrive at the earliest opportunity and remain two months ahead of schedule.

The RAF want to ensure optimal conditions for the flight, and safety remains paramount.”

George Allison
George Allison
George has a degree in Cyber Security from Glasgow Caledonian University and has a keen interest in naval and cyber security matters and has appeared on national radio and television to discuss current events. George is on Twitter at @geoallison
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45 COMMENTS

  2. How appropriate, D Day was scheduled for the 5th of June 1944 but was delayed by a day due to poor weather.

    F35 now expected on the 6th of June, best to be safe than sorry as history proves.

  3. No point risking it. Too much at stake with no operational imperative. Headlines would have been worse had something happened. AAR in bad weather challenge alone would justify rescheduling. Let’s all stay calm and carry on…

  4. Yes, you are correct silly unwarranted comments. The UK military has always been cautious in peacetime. When the chips are down aircrew will fly in all weathers during periods of conflict, that’s why they are truly brave people.

  5. F-35 arrival in the UK postponed, wait for the silly tabloid headlines

    What like this one:
    F-35 Lightning’s arrival at RAF Marham postponed
    The F-35 Lightning’s arrival at RAF Marham has been postponed due to bad weather.
    http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/f-35-arrival-at-marham-postponed-1-5548207

    If you are going to berate anybody, have a go at those who seek to gain capital by knocking out fake story lines. You know like the current hissy fit by Amnesty international regards how the RAF should come clean over how it may have committed war crimes against those poor little misguided followers of ISIS who were defeated in their de facto capital Raqqa

    • Have you read the whole report Farouk?

      If you have what stories are fake?

      An investigation by Amnesty International is not usually described as a hissy fit, unless by governments accused by them for human rights abuses, it was their findings about Pinochets government in Chile that the UN cited when passing convention against torture in the 80’s, I think they do great work, they give people without a voice a voice internationally and that’s to be commended.

      “committed war crimes against those poor little misguided followers of ISIS who were defeated in their de facto capital Raqqa”

      It’s a shame when someone makes claims like that, clearly not having a single clue of what’s happened in Raqqa since 2013

      All the Christians were forced to flee when Al Nusra front, the FSA and ISIS rolled into town, the captured Syrian soldiers were beheaded in the town square, a Sharia court was set up in the sports centre and anyone accused of supporting Assad was executed, remember this was early in the game when the SDF etc were working with ISIS to beat the Syrian army, why do you think so much western equipment got into the hands of ISIS, not to mention money.

      ISIS took full control in 2014 and ruled with absolute barbarity, sexual slavery, extortion, all Shia mosques were destroyed, Alawites were ethnically cleansed, anyone even accused of opposing ISIS were executed and their heads put on spikes, anyone trying to flee were imprisoned or executed and the women sold into sexual slavery for ISIS fighters. The only way people were allowed to leave the city is buy paying a fee.

      So your “poor little misguided followers of ISIS” in my eyes Farouk is an ill informed comment.

      And in regards to holding militaries into account, you see what happens Farouk is if there is no liability, if there is no full record of all military action, no investigations when accused of possible war crimes, no discipline, things like mass executions of POW’s, murder, rape and theft happen.

      I can sit here and be proud of the way the British armed forces conduct themselves and their record, going back centuries. That’s through people in uniform and people sat giving intelligence and targets to the RAF (which this is about) knowing full well they need to conduct themselves to the highest possible standard when representing not only her majesty, but the government and the people.

      So if full checks were done and a full assessment of the target for collateral damage was complete, then why has so many missiles gone through peoples homes killing entire families, was it even British missiles, could of been American or French, either way an investigation should be conducted by all three militaries to find out why there was so much civilian loss of life.

      • SS wrote:
        “Have you read the whole report Farouk?”

        Actually I have read it twice which is why elsewhere I wrote this yesterday on another website:
        I read this story when it broke this morning and I popped across to AI and read their article what a crock. Raqqa was the de facto capital of ISIS, you know that blood thirsty bunch of thugs who murdered hundreds of thousands during their reign of terror which whilst they said they were doing it in the name of Islam (yeah right) happened to murder more Muslims than anybody else has done for at least 40 years. Anyway back to the article:
        “Amnesty International did not discover information indicating that IS fighters were present in the buildings at the time they were hit. All but one of the targeted buildings were single-storey houses surrounded by taller buildings, offering neither strategic vantage points for IS snipers, nor particular protection for IS fighters, compared to taller, sturdier buildings in the areas. Although they could not definitively rule it out, survivors of these strikes were not aware of IS fighters in the vicinity of the houses before they were struck. Even had ISIS fighters been present, this would neither explain nor justify the targeting of these civilian building with munitions expected to destroy them entirely.”

        And

        “On 8 June 2017 Coalition forces fired white phosphorus artillery projectiles above Jezra, seemingly to create a smokescreen through which SDF ground troops could move into the area.23 Amnesty International verified videos of the event which were published online and showed burning elements coming into contact with civilian houses.24 White phosphorous-impregnated fragments rained down on the area around the Aswad’s building and shop. ”

        Smoke shells consist of thousands of small felt pieces impregnated with phosphorous in which to make smoke. Felt by its nature does not burn rather it smoulders and smokes. Hence its use. However to the left and the unwashed this is a hate crime, no it bloody well isn’t it a military ordinance used to mask your movements from the enemy. An enemy which I add usually refuses to surrender and is willing to die for his/her cause.

        According to the left all you had to do was talk to the nice misunderstood people of ISIS and after a cup of tea (As proposed by the British labour party) they would put down their weapons and take up flower arranging.

        Tomorrow is the 74th anniversary of D-Day which helped put an end to Nazi Germany and its world domination plans. Can you imagine how the likes of Ai would report that today.?

      • SS wrote:
        It’s a shame when someone makes claims like that, clearly not having a single clue of what’s happened in Raqqa since 2013

        Funny you should mention that, as here is a little something I wrote on the very subject on the 17th June 2017:
        Al-Raqqa is the de facto capital of ISIS and it has been since it was captured by them since Jan 2014. However the city has been in the hands of the rebels since March 2013. Since then, all the Churches, and Shia mosques have been destroyed. The Christian population which was at the 10% mark have left (or been killed) I can only presume the same for the Shia’s. After it was captured, Al-Raqqa became known as “the hotel of the revolution”, simply because so many foreign Muslims who left their home countries set up in the city as it was the Islamic thing to do. Well the old adage that he who lives by the sword dies by it has turned out to be true for ISIS and currently it is surrounded by the Kurds, Syrian army and the US.

        I followed the battle of Raqqa as I did other towns and cities, quite extensively . Currently I am following the battle for the Yemeni port of Hodeidah which when (Not if) taken will change the entire landscape of that little bunfight. What’s is also interesting about this, is the man in charge who swapped sides earlier this year when the former president who started the war in the first place in which to regain power was assassinated by the rebels , talk about irony. But hey what do I know about events around the ME which people think I know nothing about.

        • I’ve just been looking through the articles I have written about Raqqa and here is one I knocked out Nov 15 2016:
          The Kurds are currently advancing on the de-facto ISIS capital ‘Raqqa’.
          Like their bed fellows in Mosul, ISIS are using VIEDs in which to make the march against them as costly as possible. Yesterday I posted a couple of clips of successful ISIS attacks against Iraq armour around Mosul. The clip below shows something similar advancing at speed towards the Kurds. You can feel the atmosphere as they target the advancing vehicle and it keeps on coming.
          https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=74&v=H8CNWbqmhDw

      • SS wrote:
        So your “poor little misguided followers of ISIS” in my eyes Farouk is an ill informed comment.

        So what are they?

      • SS wrote:
        “And in regards to holding militaries into account, you see what happens Farouk is if there is no liability, if there is no full record of all military action, no investigations when accused of possible war crimes, no discipline, things like mass executions of POW’s, murder, rape and theft happen.”

        For the life in me , I cannot understand how so many do-gooders subscribe to this notion that the Military is a force within itself and accountable to no one. Have you worn Green? (now MTP) Something tells me you haven’t, there are more controls in place regards the military than anyone else. In fact a common statement is that “We are second class citizens”
        There is no uncontrolled bunch of soldiers going around slotting people just for the fun of it. (yes we have the odd incident and believe me they are stamped down on hard) but the vast majority of allegations have been found to be false. The way the Army/Navy and RAF is wrong there is very little room for corruption and it is common knowledge that you will always get found out.

        So regards the mass executions of POWs name them?
        So regards the mass murders: Name them?
        So regards the mass rapes: Name them?
        So regards the mass number of thefts: Name them?

        As I said there are the odd incident, but civy court case after civy court case have found the virtually all the allegations as..falsehood.
        Tell me SS is your real name Phil Shiner:

      • SS wrote:
        So if full checks were done and a full assessment of the target for collateral damage was complete, then why has so many missiles gone through peoples homes killing entire families, was it even British missiles, could of been American or French,

        Currently in the Uk, we are been told that people will leave due to brexit, Across the water thousands of people wish to come across the water and join the millions of others who didnt like living where they did, and decided to move.

        Yet for some very strange reason , Raqqa where thousands of people moved to from abroad in which to wave a black flag over Alis snack bar didnt see one person leave because they didn’t like living there with…ISIS. Raqqa was controlled by ISIS for 4 years, I can assure you the vast majority didn’t want to leave as they subscribed to the credo of..ISIS

      • SS wrote:
        It’s a shame when someone makes claims like that, clearly not having a single clue of what’s happened in Raqqa since 20132

        One of the most informative sites I use (hasn’t written for a while as he is now writing a book) is Oryx . He really went out of his way in illuminating to the great unwashed exactly what was happening in both Iraq and Syria. The weapons used, the weapons captured and what was happening on the ground.
        http://spioenkop.blogspot.com/search?q=raqqa

        • Yeah I think you seriously need help pal, like professional help.

          It’s not good when any mentally challenged individual comments on the internet.

  6. I cannot believe this, we have bought a red herring. Billions for a plane that can’t handle some wind! The defence secretary should resign and our order for more F35 cancelled immediately. ???

  7. The problem with this is that amongst the uninformed general public, which is the vast majority, this looks like another failure of the F35 project.

    The UK MOD and HM forces have never been very good at public relations and that proud tradition continues.

    Don’t be to harsh on the mainstream media, they have like their readers, little understanding of defence matters.

  8. I agree with the decision to wait until the weather in mid Atlantic becomes favourable for this transition flight. It’s a very important evolution and there is no need for any unnecessary risks to either the Pilots or the Aircraft.

  11. Shocking, simply shocking, the poor cowardly standards of our military today. Why, what if they were needed today to save the UK from invasion? Should we nicely ask the invaders to postpone their invasion and air assault for a day because of *bad weather*? Next it’ll be the wrong type of leaves on the line just because the wheel pressure molecularises them onto the track and makes it very slippy and trains shoot hundreds of yards past the platform, or the wrong type of snow that blows in the wind and causes huge drifts, or …

    … slap slap, oh, it’s just a ferry operation. Oh well.

  12. Fake news. They’re here already. They are stealth aircraft after all, this just goes to show how good they are.

  13. More information coming to light, it is indeed the weather that is to blame for the delay.

    Given the sea state in the mid Atlantic at the moment it would be very difficult to recover the pilot if he had to ditch in such conditions.

    To me this makes perfect sense in term.of safety, in peacetime conditions, for the pilots rather than anything to do with the aircraft itself.

    • The newspapers are well funded and owned by billionaires, they employ hundreds of journalists and covers hundreds of topics.

      This is a British defence blog on the internet Ron

      And this still provides better defence coverage than all the UK newspapers put together.

      • My comment was tongue in cheek. Presumably not up to the famous British SOH. And yes, the site does, which is why I come and read here every day.

  15. I have an idea. Let’s invite the scoffers and sneerers aboard a specially converted Boeing for a free trip across the Atlantic. A few restrictions. A couple of the engines have been disabled. There’s only enough fuel to get a third of the way across the Atlantic. There’s supposed to be a Voyager to meet the Boeing, only the weather isn’t good and there’s a chance the Boeing won’t be able to hook up correctly to the Voyager to refuel, or maybe the Voyager might develop a fault and have to turn back, or it could be late at the refuel point so the Boeing is dangerously low on fuel. The passengers have their own seat, only they are strapped in so they can’t stretch their legs or use the toilet. The passengers also have a bank of displays that they have to monitor and concentrate on constantly. Assuming the Voyager turns up on time and manages to refuel the Boeing, it only deposits enough for another third, so the process has to be gone through again later on with exactly the same risks and uncertainties. I ask you…how many tickets would be snatched up?

      • Wasn’t talking about this place, Ron. Just a bit of fun aimed at those who may question why the F-35Bs arrival has been delayed when airlines fly across the Atlantic day after day. No need to take risks when it isn’t required.

  16. Queen Elizabeth will be over there in a couple of months I’m sure she might be able to squeeze them on and it would save fuel. That would please the chancellor and the Daily Mail!

  17. From the Daily Mail:

    “Arrival of Britain’s new £100m ‘game changer’ F-35 Lightning stealth fighter jets is postponed… due to the weather

    By Rod Ardehali For Mailonline

    Published: 11:31 EDT, 5 June 2018 | Updated: 11:43 EDT, 5 June 2018

    The arrival of Britain’s new £100 million F-35 Lighting stealth fighter jets, described as a game change for RAF personnel, has been postponed – due to the weather.

    The UK’s supersonic aircraft could arrive at RAF Marham, Norfolk, any time from Tuesday, though the exact date is yet to be confirmed and will depend on a number of factors including the weather conditions.

    Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson announced last month that the state-of-the-art warplanes, manufactured in America, would arrive in the UK in June.

    The UK’s supersonic aircraft could arrive at RAF Marham, Norfolk, any time from Tuesday, it is understood, though the exact date is yet to be confirmed and will depend on a number of factors including the weather

    RAF Marham is home to almost 10,000 people, including contractors and families of service personnel, and it is thought that many will watch the jets arrive from a special viewing area on the base or from their gardens.

    Many locals and plane enthusiasts are also expected to turn out to see the aircraft touch down, with three parking areas set to be used as viewing areas near the airfield.

    Norfolk Police said no road closures are currently planned.

    While the base could not put a figure on how many people might attend, a spokesman said: ‘We’re anticipating there will be a big interest.’

    RAF Marham is home to almost 10,000 people, including contractors and families of service personnel, and it is thought that many will watch the jets arrive from a special viewing area on the base or from their gardens

    The arrival of the F-35s comes ahead of the decommissioning of RAF Marham’s Tornado GR4 fleet by April 2019.

    Resurfacing work on the base’s secondary runway has finished in time for their arrival, and people living in the town said they were looking forward to seeing the F-35s.

    Sarah Sheardown, 29, of Marham, speaking outside a Spar shop near the base entrance, said: ‘If I could see them arrive I would – I know it’s all a bit top secret.

    ‘It’s important for Marham, especially with the Tornados going, now we’ve still got a good plane in our use.

    ‘The Tornados have been around for a long time, they’ve a long history and it will be the end of an era.’

    Nicola Billington, 34, of Marham, said: ‘We’re looking to come out to see the F-35s arrive.

    ‘I think it’s a great thing.’

    She added it would be ‘sad’ to see the Tornados go.

    The F-35s have been stationed in America since their manufacture, being tested and used for training by Royal Air Force and Royal Navy pilots.

    Resurfacing work on the base’s secondary runway has finished in time for their arrival, and people living in the town said they were looking forward to seeing the F-35s

    The F-35s have been stationed in America since their manufacture, being tested and used for training by Royal Air Force and Royal Navy pilots

    Four of the jets, based at US Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina, are due to cross the Atlantic in the first trip, with five following by the beginning of August

    Four of the jets, based at US Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina, are due to cross the Atlantic in the first trip, with five following by the beginning of August.

    Britain currently has 15 F-35Bs – the short take-off and vertical landing variant of the jets – based in the US, and has pledged to purchase 138 in total.

    The F-35s will be flown by the newly reformed 617 squadron, which was immortalised by the daring Dambusters raid during the Second World War”

  19. What kind of journalism is this? Just stirring up crap. Why nt just report the news ?, rather than things like *Just wait for them*.

    You are literally making a story out of something that hasn’t happened.

    This is really fake news, and shameful journalism.

  22. I read 5 set off and 4 landed in the UK with 1 returning to the US. Anyone know why one returned, was this always planned?

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