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CSG25 - Marham Jets
Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2025 10:00 am
by slogen51
Over three days from Tuesday 22/04/2025 to Thursday 24/04/2025 18 F-35B ( nine 617 Sqn and nine 809NAS) deployed to HMS Prince of Wales for Carrier Strike Group 25.
Tuesday (1)
ZM137/003 Darkness 21
Wednesday (12) as at 17:15
Dante 11/12 : ZM139/005 , ZM157/023
Flame 22 : ZM146/012
Leeroy 31/32 : ZM160/026, ZM163/029
Ghost 41/42 : ZM168/034, ZM141/007
Flame 21 : ZM169/035
Wildman 52 : ZM159/025
Darkness 61 : ZM150/016
Wildman 51: ZM153/019
Darkness 62 : ZM161/027
Thursday (5) as at 15:20
Ghost 11/12 : ZM158/024, ZM140/006
Leeroy 31 : ZM167/033
Dante 21/22 : ZM156/022, ZM164/030
By my reckoning that leaves 10 Operational F-35B at Marham
Four assumed at Edwards AFB
ZM135, ZM136, ZM138, ZM165
Two on maintenance at Cherry Point
ZM144/010 and ZM145/011
1 written off (stored at Marham)
ZM152/018
18 on the PoW ( in serial order)
ZM137/003, ZM139/005, ZM140/006, ZM141/007, ZM146/012, ZM150/016
ZM153/019, ZM156/022, ZM157/023, ZM158/024, ZM159/025, ZM160/026
ZM161/027, ZM163/029, ZM164/030, ZM167/033, ZM168/034, ZM169/035
10 operational at Marham
ZM142/008, ZM143/009, ZM147/013, ZM148/014, ZM149/015
ZM151/017, ZM154/020, ZM155/021, ZM162/028, ZM166/032
= 35 : ZM169/035
(* I haven't noted ZM147/013 since 28-10-2024 when it returned to Marham from HMS Prince of Wales
ZM151/017 not noted since July 2024?
ZM154/020 not noted since 17-03-2024?
)
Re: CSG25 - Marham Jets
Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2025 10:06 am
by RubyRoo
Great record, thanks slogen.
Be interesting to see if the rumoured end of April/early May "delivery" (old aircraft) is still intact and which frames it will be.
Re: CSG25 - Marham Jets
Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2025 2:28 pm
by slogen51
Looking forward to it but invariably they turn up via Lajes when it is dark!
Rumours doing the rounds saying ZM170,ZM171,ZM144,ZM145
But I have yet to see a voyager go west unless there is already one there? ZZ330 is currently westbound but as Ascot 2216 - oh! Ascot 2216 did go to Fort Worth Alliance so maybe will come back Tanking
Re: CSG25 - Marham Jets
Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2025 4:06 pm
by tornado17
I read somewhere, latest RAF News I think but not 100% sure, that 37 jets had been delivered with the last 11 of the first order due to be delivered this year before the F-35/carriers are declared FOC on 31st December 2025. Where are the last 2?
Re: CSG25 - Marham Jets
Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2025 5:50 pm
by slogen51
There are some words that say ZM170 is at Pax river
But the latest jet delivered to Marham is BK-35 ZM169/035
Re: CSG25 - Marham Jets
Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2025 2:52 pm
by RubyRoo
slogen51 wrote: ↑Fri Apr 25, 2025 2:28 pm
Looking forward to it but invariably they turn up via Lajes when it is dark!
Rumours doing the rounds saying ZM170,ZM171,ZM144,ZM145
But I have yet to see a voyager go west unless there is already one there? ZZ330 is currently westbound but as Ascot 2216 - oh! Ascot 2216 did go to Fort Worth Alliance so maybe will come back Tanking
This ties in with the opening hours that Alexander posted in the other Marham thread.
April 30th looking likely as it stands.
I thought ZM170 and ZM171 were heading off to 17sqn to replace the original units as these were the latest TR-3 build. There is currently a contract with Lockheed Martin to "instrument" 3 foreign F-35 aircraft up. The RAF are the only foreign operator as far as I know with instrumented aircraft.
Whether these 3 will be 170/171/172 who knows, but seems likely? 144 and 145 coming back seems a given. Maybe 135/136/138 if they've been able to have their instruments removed.
Re: CSG25 - Marham Jets
Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2025 5:51 pm
by NorvilleRogers
RubyRoo wrote: ↑Sun Apr 27, 2025 2:52 pm
slogen51 wrote: ↑Fri Apr 25, 2025 2:28 pm
Looking forward to it but invariably they turn up via Lajes when it is dark!
Rumours doing the rounds saying ZM170,ZM171,ZM144,ZM145
But I have yet to see a voyager go west unless there is already one there? ZZ330 is currently westbound but as Ascot 2216 - oh! Ascot 2216 did go to Fort Worth Alliance so maybe will come back Tanking
This ties in with the opening hours that Alexander posted in the other Marham thread.
April 30th looking likely as it stands.
I thought ZM170 and ZM171 were heading off to 17sqn to replace the original units as these were the latest TR-3 build. There is currently a contract with Lockheed Martin to "instrument" 3 foreign F-35 aircraft up. The RAF are the only foreign operator as far as I know with instrumented aircraft.
Whether these 3 will be 170/171/172 who knows, but seems likely? 144 and 145 coming back seems a given. Maybe 135/136/138 if they've been able to have their instruments removed.
Israel also have at least one instrumented test F-35 (924/AS-15).
Re: CSG25 - Marham Jets
Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2025 9:59 am
by slogen51
28/04/2025 Ascot 9761 ZM143/009 is enroute to Lajes behind Ascot 9301
By my reckoning that leaves 9 Operational F-35B at Marham
Four assumed at Edwards AFB
ZM135, ZM136, ZM138, ZM165
Three on maintenance at Cherry Point
ZM144/010 and ZM145/011 both departed April '24 and coming back soon and ZM143/009 departed 28-4-2025
1 written off (stored at Marham)
ZM152/018
18 on the PoW ( in serial order)
ZM137/003, ZM139/005, ZM140/006, ZM141/007, ZM146/012, ZM150/016
ZM153/019, ZM156/022, ZM157/023, ZM158/024, ZM159/025, ZM160/026
ZM161/027, ZM163/029, ZM164/030, ZM167/033, ZM168/034, ZM169/035
9 operational at Marham
ZM142/008, ZM147/013, ZM148/014, ZM149/015
ZM151/017, ZM154/020, ZM155/021, ZM162/028, ZM166/032
= 35 : ZM169/035
(* I haven't noted ZM147/013 since 28-10-2024 when it returned to Marham from HMS Prince of Wales
ZM151/017 not noted since July 2024?
ZM154/020 not noted since 17-03-2024?
)
Re: CSG25 - Marham Jets
Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2025 4:44 pm
by 100arw
As you are a Moderator, I am again stunned you post such exact detail about the location of the UK's latest military assets :-(
P.
Re: CSG25 - Marham Jets
Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2025 5:06 pm
by slogen51
Thanks.
I did A Level Maths so find the sums quite easy
Admittedly I do keep that subversive publication MAM firmly under lock and key
Re: CSG25 - Marham Jets
Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2025 6:45 pm
by sschofield
100arw wrote: ↑Tue Apr 29, 2025 4:44 pm
As you are a Moderator, I am again stunned you post such exact detail about the location of the UK's latest military assets :-(
P.
Nothing that's not (elsewhere) in the public domain. Trust me, if the MoD didn't want such information made public, they've got channels that could easily shut this site down.
Re: CSG25 - Marham Jets
Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2025 6:46 pm
by sschofield
slogen51 wrote: ↑Tue Apr 29, 2025 5:06 pm
Thanks.
I did A Level Maths so find the sums quite easy
Admittedly I do keep that subversive publication MAM firmly under lock and key
Errrm yeah, offence not taken!
Re: CSG25 - Marham Jets
Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2025 6:59 pm
by slogen51
Its a well known fact that 18 are on the carrier which itself is probably in an unknown location
As far as Edwards is concerned, at least one 17Sqn F-35B was at the airshow a couple of years ago
As far as I know no one on comments quite rightly on deployed jets on Cyprus Operations
I find it ridiculous that people join military spotting forums and probably spend time at military establishments then complain about reporting without even having the courtesy to first send a private message
Re: CSG25 - Marham Jets
Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2025 8:34 pm
by RubyRoo
I appreciated the great record, slogen. Thank you.
Nothing you posted is secret information or even sensitive.
I see no ALTRV has been posted yet for anything coming back from the States so I assume the 30th is off for a delivery. Friday is a distant possibility but they'd have to get going very early in the day.
Re: CSG25 - Marham Jets
Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2025 8:46 pm
by slogen51
I have heard its Friday for the delivery plus Marham is open Friday afternoon - guessing a bit , that they will try to arrive at Lajes by Thursday afternoon
The summary i do is not secret information and is common knowledge amongst spotters- most people know what is at their local base - I just like to detail the serials for the record and as a bit of fun and also so not to have to keep looking up what's away on the Ship
Re: CSG25 - Marham Jets
Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2025 9:10 pm
by pg1610
slogen51 wrote: ↑Tue Apr 29, 2025 6:59 pm
Its a well known fact that 18 are on the carrier which itself is probably in an unknown location
Just look at Pow or RNavy social media or any of the multiple defence industry feeds and it's easy to see where it is,front page news today in the local newspaper of an Island just south of Spain
The Navy/MOD/Govt want everyone to know where it is that's the point of this exercise power projection,so nothing posted on these pages will be against the public interests
A different matter if it had to go into action at any point
Re: CSG25 - Marham Jets
Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2025 12:19 pm
by RubyRoo
slogen51 wrote: ↑Tue Apr 29, 2025 8:46 pm
I have heard its Friday for the delivery plus Marham is open Friday afternoon - guessing a bit , that they will try to arrive at Lajes by Thursday afternoon
The summary i do is not secret information and is common knowledge amongst spotters- most people know what is at their local base - I just like to detail the serials for the record and as a bit of fun and also so not to have to keep looking up what's away on the Ship
Do you know if ZM144 and ZM145 went over to the States for upgrade to TR-3 standard? What was the objective for them (and now ZM143) going over?
Re: CSG25 - Marham Jets
Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2025 4:19 pm
by slogen51
Sorry i don't know, just record the numbers. I assume it is some sort of update - it certainly takes a long time at the Cherry Point Fleet Readiness Center but no idea what they are having done.
Re: CSG25 - Marham Jets
Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2025 7:43 pm
by RubyRoo
Thank you. I assume it's the TR-2 to TR-3 update but genuinely don't know.
I was told that our TR-1 jets are unable to be upgraded to the latest standard but the TR-2 batch will be. The Tranche 2 F-35B order will all be Block 4.
https://www.flightglobal.com/defence/uk ... 01.article
This confirms that ZM170 is staying in the USA ^
So with that being said, I'd expect ZM144/ZM145/ZM171 and maybe one of the very early frames to come back.
Re: CSG25 - Marham Jets
Posted: Thu May 01, 2025 6:44 pm
by Alf
slogen51 wrote: ↑Wed Apr 30, 2025 4:19 pm
Sorry i don't know, just record the numbers. I assume it is some sort of update - it certainly takes a long time at the Cherry Point Fleet Readiness Center but no idea what they are having done.
I thought Cherry Point is the main overhaul location for the UK F-35 fleet when they need deep routine maintenance. Just like the Lakenheath F-15E go to Warner Robins for theirs.
