Number of F-35 jets ‘missing’ from hangar at RAF base

The Ministry of Defence has downplayed reports that several F-35B Lightning II jets are currently “unaccounted for” on the flight line at a base.

The Ministry of Defence is reviewing the status of several F-35B Lightning II aircraft after routine checks at RAF Marham revealed that a number of jets were not immediately locatable. Officials stressed there is no indication of foul play and that the situation is “well understood given the nature of the platform.”

A defence official familiar with the matter explained: “These are fifth-generation stealth fighters. If anything, this proves they’re working perfectly.”

According to sources familiar with the matter, base personnel noticed discrepancies between expected and observed aircraft positions during a standard flight line inspection earlier this week. An internal review was launched shortly thereafter. Base personnel reportedly initiated a “focused visual reacquisition procedure,” which involved walking slowly around the apron, double-checking each parking bay, and asking colleagues to “have another look.”

Despite initial confusion, officials insist that all aircraft are accounted for on paper and that the inability to physically see them is not necessarily a problem. “This actually aligns with the intended operational profile,” a defence analyst told UK Defence Journal. “If you can’t find them, that’s kind of the point.”

When asked if measures would be taken to make the aircraft more visible during routine maintenance, the MOD said it was “reviewing procedures” but added: “We have full confidence in the platform’s low observability.”

RAF engineers reportedly initiated the base’s standard search protocol—walking around the flight line slowly, squinting slightly, and gently tapping the tarmac with a boot in case of contact.

“We now believe all aircraft are within a few hundred metres of their last known coordinates,” said the source. “They may have just needed a little more squinting.”

This isn’t the first time the aircraft’s advanced low-observable coating has raised questions. In 2022, a similar incident during a training exercise led to a jet being “lost” for nearly 40 minutes—only to be discovered precisely where it was parked, under a tarpaulin labelled “not an F-35.”

When asked whether any additional measures would be taken to improve accountability, an MOD spokesperson said: “We are confident the aircraft are present and operating as expected. Visibility remains a matter of perspective.”

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