The UK has not yet made a decision regarding the continuation of the purchase of the fifth generation fighter F-35B Lightning II

Last week, a meeting of the Defense Committee on Aviation Procurement was held in the UK.As part of the

event, Marshal Sir Richard Knighton provided updated information on the delivery of the fifth-generation fighter F-35 Lightning II.

What is known

The marshal confirmed that the RoyalThe British Air Force received 30 aircraft in the F-35B modification, i.е. short takeoff and vertical landing. By 2025, the number of fighters will increase to 48 units.

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The UK has no plans for this.stop. The Ministry of Defense and the government have committed themselves to increase the number of aircraft to 74 pieces. They will be delivered as part of the Tranche 2 batch. Lockheed Martin will start delivering these fighters at the end of this decade. The process will drag on until the early 2030s.

Britain's original plan was to buy 148 F-35Bs. Members of the Committee questioned the need to seek to acquire so many fighters.

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Richard Knighton says 74 planes are enoughto fulfill NATO's obligation to patrol the airspace. The final decision regarding further purchases of the F-35B will be made in the middle of the next decade.