WATCH: British F-35B lands vertically at air show

The F-35B is the most advanced combat aircraft in the world. It will be in service with the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force from 2018.

It is expected that the UK will build a front-line fleet of four F-35 squadrons with each squadron having 12 jets. A fifth unit, an operational conversion unit, will also operate 12 aircraft.

The structure of the Lightning force is now somewhat clear.

• 17(R) Squadron is currently based at Edwards Air Force Base in the US and fills role of F-35B Operational Evaluation Unit.
• 617 Squadron will be based at RAF Marham and will be the first operational British F-35 unit in 2019.
• 809 Naval Air Squadron will also be based at RAF Marham.
• 2 more unnamed frontline Squadrons are to be established.
• 1 Operation Conversion Squadron will also be formed.

The F-35B’s maiden deployment is set for late 2017 and it’s bound for the Western Pacific. The jet will deploy aboard an amphibious flattop and the US Marine Corps are planning a more powerful escort force to support it, according to Admiral Scott Swift, head of Pacific Fleet, as reported by the Marine Times.

The F-35B has already flown from American assault ships as part of a series of tests, which largely went well.

Additionally, F-35 unit costs have been going down with each successive lot of aircraft and will continue to do so.