UK donates £161m to maintain and support F-35B fleet in Norfolk

The United Kingdom Ministry of Defense has announced a new contract with Lockheed Martin.

The additional funding will enable the company to maintain and support its fleet of fifth-generation F-35 Lightning II fighter jets.

What is known

The aircraft are based at the Royal Air Force Base.RAF Marham in Norfolk, East Anglia. A spokesman for the United Kingdom Department of Defense noted that the funding will allow the British F-35B fighters to remain ready for combat operations.

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The American company Lockheed Martin becameas the main contractor, and the British BAE Systems as a subcontractor. The £161m investment will create 140 new jobs, including 130 at the East Anglia airbase.

The Department of Defense added that the agreementgives the UK more freedom to operate fighter aircraft, increase flight hours and offer enhanced mission planning, training and maintenance capabilities. The previous contract expired in 2023. The new agreement will be valid until 2027.

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UK receives first F-35B fighter jetsLightning II short takeoff and vertical landing in 2018. They replaced the Tornado GR4, which were retired in 2019 after 40 years in service.