Latest news with #F-35A
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Flimsy fence protects air base set for Britain's new nuclear-armed jets
The flimsy barrier is 300 metres from the runway at RAF Marham, Norfolk. Our revelation comes just weeks after protesters were arrested for causing £7million of damage to aircraft at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire An airbase set to house the RAF's nuclear-armed jets is protected by a five-foot wooden fence. The flimsy barrier is 300 metres from the runway at RAF Marham, Norfolk. Our revelation comes just weeks after protesters were arrested for causing £7million of damage to aircraft at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire. The fence at RAF Marham can be accessed by five gaps in a hedge in a farmer's field. We visited the spot this week and stood there for 30 minutes but no security guard came to check on us. The rest of the base is surrounded by 18-foot barbed-wire fences. Last night Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, a former army colonel and nuclear weapons expert, said: 'It seems incongruous that at the base for our stealth fighters there is only a picket fence, which a small child could vault, as protection. When our new tactical nuclear bombers, the F-35As, arrive at RAF Marham, a wooden fence is almost encouraging terrorists to 'have a go'.' RAF Marham is the home of 617 Squadron 'The Dambusters' who fly the F-35B Lightning multi-role stealth fighter. A month ago Keir Starmer announced the government was buying at least 12 American-made F-35A fighter-bombers that can carry nuclear weapons as well as conventional ones at an estimated cost of around £700million. At a Nato summit in The Hague, the Prime Minister said the purchase was a 'response to a growing nuclear threat'. Downing Street said the move was 'the biggest strengthening of the UK's nuclear posture in a generation'. It is the first time the RAF will be able to carry nukes since the 1990s. The move comes at a time of growing global insecurity – and as the PM and his European and Canadian allies scramble to convince Donald Trump they are serious about defending Europe, rather than relying on the US. Colonel de Bretton-Gordon added: 'I applaud the design to get a tactical nuclear deterrent but the protection of these aircraft is as important as the aircraft themselves'. A government spokesperson said: ''We take security extremely seriously and operate a multi-layered approach to protect our sites, including fencing, patrols and CCTV monitoring. Following the incident at Brize Norton, we are urgently reviewing security and have implemented a series of enhanced security measures at all sites. After years of hollowing out and underfunding of the armed forces, the Strategic Defence Review concluded that we need to invest more, backed by the largest sustained increase in defence spending since the end of the Cold War.'
News18
20-07-2025
- Politics
- News18
RAF'S Cold War Nuke Base Hosts US B61 Bombs Again? C-17 "High Priority" Flight Fuels Speculation
A suspected US B61-12 nuclear bomb delivery to RAF Lakenheath via a high-priority C-17 flight on July 17 has sparked speculation of renewed nuclear deployment in the UK for the first time since 2008. The UK is acquiring F-35A jets for potential nuclear roles and rejoining NATO's nuclear-sharing mission. Security upgrades at Lakenheath and growing threats from Russia and Iran prompted Britain's 2025 security strategy to warn of potential domestic war. London vows stronger nuclear cooperation with France and Germany. 00:00 - INTRODUCTION01:36 - SPOTLIGHT ON RAF LAKENHEATH04:03 - SECURITY REVIEW FLAGS POTENTIAL 'WARTIME SCENARIO'n18oc_world n18oc_crux
India.com
18-07-2025
- India.com
Bad news for Russia, China, Iran as US' F-35 fighter jet becomes more lethal due to..., nuclear weapon...
New Delhi: America's F-35 fighter plane has got a new lethal capability. With this, F-35 will now be able to attack its enemies even more lethally. This fighter plane was already a big threat to America's rivals and big military powers like China and Russia. In such a situation, now this fighter plane has become more powerful as it got new lethal capability. What is the new weapon F-35 is equipped with? American F-35 has been equipped with a new weapon. This has increased the lethal capability of F-35 manifold and now in case of a conflict, the F-35 would prove to be more dangerous for China and Russia. The F-35A Lightning II has now received certification to carry the B61-12 nuclear bomb. According to the F-35 Joint Program Office, it is the first stealth fighter capable of carrying nuclear weapons, giving the US and NATO a new dual-role fighter jet. What is B61-12 nuclear bomb? The B61-12 is a modern nuclear gravity bomb. It will replace the older B61 variants. This bomb can be fired anywhere from the F-35A fighter aircraft. This bomb is designed for both tactical and strategic missions. This bomb has four different capacity settings, including a low-capacity option for use in the battlefield. What are features of F-35 jet? The F-35 is equipped with stealth technology and state-of-the-art sensors that help it to avoid radar. Due to this, enemy's radars are unable to detect the F-35 fighter aircraft. Its advanced sensor fusion system combines data obtained from multiple sensors, giving pilots a complete view of the battlefield. This technology helps the F-35 to strike targets without seeing them. The F-35 can fire both nuclear and conventional weapons with high accuracy. Its targeting systems, including electro-optical targeting systems and advanced radars help to accurately strike high-value enemy targets. This jet can also share targeting data with other aircraft and units. Why is F-35 called a multirole fighter jet? The F-35 is called a multirole fighter jet as it can switch between conventional and nuclear missions. This power is important for NATO and allied air forces, as it allows an aircraft to perform a wide range of tasks, from air defense to strategic deterrence. Countries such as Germany, Belgium, Italy and the United Kingdom are buying the F-35A to join NATO's nuclear mission. The F-35's new role is being considered an important part of NATO's defense plans, as it replaces older jets in the nuclear sharing programme. The F-35's ability to carry nuclear bombs, combined with its stealth and advanced sensors, sets a new standard for combat aircraft and its dual-role capability could shape the future of aerial warfare and nuclear deterrence.
India.com
17-07-2025
- Business
- India.com
Coward Pakistan begs US to not help India with..., will Trump agree?
Coward Pakistan begs US to not help India with..., will Trump agree? In a desperate plea, Pakistan has appealed to the US not to sell F-35 stealth fighter jets to India which was offered to Prime Minister Narendra Modi by US President Donald Trump during his US visit in February. After this, when US Vice President JD Vance visited India in April, he also offered F-35 to India. Will India take it from US? Even though there has been no official confirmation on this, last week Defense Secretary RK Singh had definitely said, without naming US, that India is seriously considering buying stealth fighter jets from a 'friendly country.' What Pakistan has pleaded? Pakistan Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar Sidhu who visited US has requested the US not to sell F-35A stealth fighter to India. During this time, he met US Air Force Chief General David Allwine, along with some other US military officials and some MPs. In which he requested the US officials not to give F-35 stealth fighter to India. Expressing his fear, he said that if US gives F-35 to India, then it can dangerously disturb the regional strategic balance. Pakistan, whose air force capability is much weaker and limited than India, believes that if India gets fifth generation stealth fighters like F-35A, then it will seriously affect the balance of air power in South Asia and regional strategic stability will be threatened. Will China help Pakistan with J-35 stealth fighter jet? Pakistan has raised this concern to the US at a time when it has reached the final stage in the process of buying J-35A stealth fighter jet from China. China's Shenyang Aircraft Corporation has built the J-35A, a twin-engine stealth fighter and is considered a competitor to the F-35. According to reports, Pakistan has ordered 40 J-35A aircraft, the delivery of which is expected to be completed in the next two years. China has speeded up production to deliver the first batch in the next 6–8 months. Apart from this, there are also reports of Pakistani pilots training with the J-35. This fighter aircraft will be equipped with long-range PL-15 or PL-17 missiles. Pakistan aims to deploy a full stealth squadron by the year 2026. Reports say that China is selling it the J-35 at a 50 percent discount. Will India buy F-35 fighter jets from the US? To counter the possible acquisition of J-35 stealth fighter by Pakistan and China, India is seriously considering buying advanced fighter jets like F-35A from the US or Su-57E from Russia. However, nothing has been said officially about both the aircraft. The Indian Air Force has already signed several defense agreements with the US, including MQ-9B drones, C-17, P-8I and Apache helicopters. Apart from this, the US is going to supply the engine of Tejas-1 fighter aircraft to India and talks with the US to manufacture the engine of Tejas-2 fighter aircraft have reached the final stage. Now the Donald Trump administration is planning to offer India the F-35A stealth fighter jet specifically according to the needs of the Indian Air Force, which will include software defined radio, advanced IFF (Identification Friend or Foe) system and other custom hardware according to Indian operational needs. This will be a similar customization as has been done in the Israeli F-35I 'Adir' version. This proposal was also mentioned in the talks between US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Modi.
Belfast Telegraph
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Belfast Telegraph
King approves appointment of former NI fighter pilot as new head of Royal Air Force
Air Marshal Harv Smyth from Lurgan will succeed Air Chief Marshal Sir Rich Knighton when he becomes the next Chief of the Air Staff in August. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirmed on Wednesday that the promotion has been approved by His Majesty King Charles III. Air Marshal Smyth said he is 'deeply honoured' to have been selected for the job 'at such an important time'. "The Royal Air Force The Strategic Defence Review makes clear the need for us to rapidly evolve and modernise to meet current and future threats and I am enormously proud to lead the Service at such a crucial point in our history,' he said. 'I take over from Sir Rich Knighton, who has achieved so much over the past two years, preparing the Royal Air Force for the challenges that we currently face and developing the operational mindset that we need, should we transition to conflict. "I share in his unwavering support for our people and am delighted to have this opportunity to lead our Whole Force as we deliver outstanding Air and Space Power for the UK and NATO.' Defence Secretary John Healey said the move comes at a transformative time for the Royal Air Force as it transitions to 'warfighting readiness' following the publication of the Strategic Defence Review. It also follows the a recent announcement that the UK will purchase 12 F-35A fighter jets and join NATO's nuclear mission as the government delivers greater security for working people through its Plan for Change. "I warmly congratulate Air Marshal Harv Smyth on his appointment as Chief of the Air Staff. He has outstanding credentials to lead the RAF in a crucial period of transformation for the force,' Mr Healey said. 'Air Marshal Smyth has led a distinguished career to date. From spending 15 years as a frontline Harrier pilot and weapons instructor, to flying hundreds of operational missions from both land bases and aircraft carriers, to holding numerous vital command positions, he has served our nation loyally.' The pilot's ascent began when he was just 14-years-old when he attended a careers day in Lurgan College and his English teacher, Miss Molly Edgar, overheard him talking about his interest in the RAF and took an 'immediate interest'. "She was a big encouragement. In fact, she helped set up my very first interview with the RAF when I was 15, which led to me being awarded the RAF Sixth Form and Flying Scholarships,' he previously told the Belfast Telegraph. "Very quickly I found myself at Woodgate Aviation at Aldergrove, where at the age of 16, I was taught to fly." Air Marshal Smyth joined the RAF in 1991 as a direct entrant and spent 15 years as a frontline Harrier pilot and weapons instructor flying hundreds of operational missions over Bosnia, Kosovo, Serbia, Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2015 he was promoted to Air Commodore and has held a range of command positions. The current Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff for Military Strategy and Operations opened up about having the 'coolest job in the world' back in 2021 a year after he became the UK's first space defender. He expressed excitement at taking up the position of Director Space UK which required him to work alongside the UK Space Agency and the UK Government to develop the National Space Strategy and shape the future space programme for decades to come – he even had a hotline to Downing Street. "Meeting with Number 10, taking directions straight from the top in the Cabinet with the National Space Council, it's an exciting time. You feel right at the heart of something really important, and it is," he said at the time. 'We're at a time in history when big things are just starting to happen. I'm always happy to get out of bed in the morning to do what I do. It's all I hoped it would be and more.' Watch: King and Queen meet The Causeway Shantymen during visit to famous Belfast street As of next month, Air Marshal Smyth will be responsible for the strategic planning and delivery of all Royal Air Force operations, people and capability to ensure fighting effectiveness, efficiency and morale as well as the development and sustainment of the RAF. The RAF in Northern Ireland offered a 'huge congratulations… to a local aviator' on its official X account. 'We are incredibly proud to celebrate the promotion of a Northern Ireland native,' it added. 'Well done Sir!!". The position is accountable to the Secretary of State for Defence. Mr Healey MP also recognised Air Chief Marshal Sir Rich Knighton's 'superb leadership' over the last two years. "I know he and Air Marshal Smyth will work together to deliver a landmark shift in our deterrence and defence,' he added. 'The RAF is always globally deployed and ready to defend the nation. "RAF pilots and aircrew are currently deployed on Operation SHADER to combat Daesh terrorists in Iraq and Syria, in Qatar as part of our joint Typhoon squadron, and in Eastern Europe as part of the NATO Enhanced Air Policing mission to deter Russia.' Red Arrows in Newtownards for Armed Forces Day Meanwhile, the incoming Chief of the Defence Staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Rich Knighton, said: 'I am absolutely delighted that Air Marshal Harv Smyth has been selected as the next Chief of the Air Staff, and I have every confidence that he will lead the Royal Air Force brilliantly and make sure we are ready to fly and fight. 'As I hand over to Air Marshal Smyth, I know that under his command the Royal Air Force will go from strength to strength to ensure that we are always ready to protect and promote our national interests on the world stage. "I wish him every success and look forward to working with him in leadership of our Armed Forces.'
