CSG25 - Marham Jets

[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?
)

[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.

[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

[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?

[slogen51]

There are some words that say ZM170 is at Pax river

But the latest jet delivered to Marham is BK-35 ZM169/035

[RubyRoo]

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.

[NorvilleRogers]

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).

[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?
)

[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.

[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

[sschofield]

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.

[sschofield]

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!

[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

[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.

[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

[pg1610]

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

[RubyRoo]

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?

[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.

[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.

[Alf]

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.