Two more US F-35 Sqns to the Lakenheath, UK

[plmc135]

There is a base in Yorkshire with very little activity now but which has all the facilities required by fighter jets, RAF Leeming. It has the advantage of having HAS's and a fully serviceable runway.

[Spitfire88]

The news sorry says two additional squadrons to be based in the UK not Europe, there are two options in the UK, Lakenheath which is the obvious choice if there is room or Fairford which will be ready for full operations very shortly.

[James Cutting]

You'd argue Marham and Lakenheath are the only places able to host actual F-35's right now.

As we know, politicians are fantastic at promising things and not delivering them.

[James Cutting]

Fairford which will be ready for full operations very shortly.

Doesn't mean it will be ready for F-35 activities though.

[Canberra TT.18]

I'm still a bit puzzled. (I know it's Twiiter)
It says deploy (which means temporary in my world) and says additional to the UK.
So not stationing or based but on a rotational basis. But there are no deployed units in the UK, as far as I know.
The now deployed aircraft F-35 (and EA-18) 2 units are in Germany. Are 2 F-35 suadrons simply to relieve these but then additional doesn't make sense.

It also give no timeframe.

[STN RAMP RAT]

The news sorry says two additional squadrons to be based in the UK not Europe, there are two options in the UK, Lakenheath which is the obvious choice if there is room or Fairford which will be ready for full operations very shortly.

Agreed but the first part of a good defence is making yourself look bigger than you actually are whilst the work goes on in the background to deliver on the words of the politicians. There is a huge logistical challenge to increasing the number of permanently based jets that may well take a couple of years to achieve. A rotating forward deployment of US squadrons to Lakenheath, a base that's F35 equipped, in the same way the F15's used to rotate to Jordan seems like the best bet for a couple of years.

time will tell.

[Philwinward]

Just a thought about relocating F35 (or airframes to make space for more F35) .Does Fairford have permanently installed arrestor gear or is it a temporary fit for RIAT ?
Can’t see the U2 guys happy with cables going up and down.

[F4JPhantomII]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFg9m8VSdy8 This is the actual speech where Biden announces the U.S. "will send two additional F-35 squadrons to the UK." I don't know if that phrasing changes anyone's interpretation but it is different from the twitter thread.

[cat1]

As we know, politicians are fantastic at promising things and not delivering them.

you sound surprised...

[Spitfire88]

The exact quote from president Biden says" we are going to send two additional F35 squadrons to the UK"

[Agent K]

There is a base in Yorkshire with very little activity now but which has all the facilities required by fighter jets, RAF Leeming. It has the advantage of having HAS's and a fully serviceable runway.

It won't have all the facilities, or infrastructure, or logistics, or support for F35's though, there's so much more to it than purely jets parking up. Not to say any of this isn't possible........ but it would take some time and expense.

[hvaneupen]

Or swapping (or relocating to another European base) the F15E's at Lakenheath with more F35's...

[tm74sqn]

Boscombe Down has hosted F-111D deployment in the past - so a remote possibility, but who can tell? Sculthorpe has hosted A-7D deployment in the remote past and very unlikely to be fit for F-35s.

[Toefur]

Would yeovilton be a possibility??

[Agent K]

Would yeovilton be a possibility??

It's in the wrong place, has no HAS's, hangarage will be at a premium for the Navy incumbents, mixing fast jets and helicopters in the air traffic environment is not recommended long term, is not equipped for prolonged fast jets operations.............. i'd suspect not

[city42]

Or a wing in reserve at Fairford

I think you could be right there lots going on at Fairford

[markranger]

I do wonder if they might up Bomber Rotations at Fairford also.

[Snoop55]

Or swapping (or relocating to another European base) the F15E's at Lakenheath with more F35's...

I'd relocate the F15E's to make space at LN for the F35's.

Possible locations for F15's I guess would be Mildenhall, Fairford or maybe Honington (had F15's there before and down the road).

[KevinJ]

Until we know more details speculation is rather pointless. It doesn't state whether these are temp deployments or more permanent. Nothing will happen overnight and I very much doubt the F-15Es are going anywhere.

[Al dunn]

Or swapping (or relocating to another European base) the F15E's at Lakenheath with more F35's...

I'd relocate the F15E's to make space at LN for the F35's.

Possible locations for F15's I guess would be Mildenhall, Fairford or maybe Honington (had F15's there before and down the road).

RAF Honingtons runway has been half dug up