JBZ Posted August 29, 2016 Share Posted August 29, 2016 (edited) What is official mark F-35B in RAF/FAA service? Lightning F.1, F/A.1 or FGR.1? Edited August 29, 2016 by JBZ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
upnorth Posted August 29, 2016 Share Posted August 29, 2016 I'd wager the FAA would lean to the FA.1 designation if the Sea Harrier FA.2 was an indication of things to come. The RAF would probably call it GR.1 and leave the FGR.designation will probably be reserved for the Typhoon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heloman1 Posted August 29, 2016 Share Posted August 29, 2016 Under the current thinking, I don't believe the FAA will get a look in at the designation. It's one type fits all. The RAF now have control (no politics intended, just the way the MOD is acting today). It looks like it will be an F-35B regardless... I have the Hasewaga kit and will build it in what I think the FAA would have it painted. Colin 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Posted August 29, 2016 Share Posted August 29, 2016 There are rumours that the RAF are to get the F35A to standardise with other NATO user. How many of the 138 the FAA Will get as F35 B remains to be seen Parliamentary debate house of Lords revealed this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zaggy Posted August 29, 2016 Share Posted August 29, 2016 They said the same about the Apache and etc, but that ended up the Apache AH.1. But of course the F-4J was kept as the F-4J(UK) and not the F.3 (though that was an 'internal marketing strategy', to avoid confusion/conflict with the Tornado F.3, if the stories are to be beleived)...I hope the MoD does 'stick with' their tried and true system; it's nice to have a system that is uniquely British (and no, I'm not British). the only issue I can really see is that 'Lightning' is still fairly fresh in the mind as the English Electric Lightning, so Lightning F.1 could introduce a degree of confusion... And technically when you look at its role, it's more like Lightning EFGR.1.Or if you want to really confuse, by removing some naming confusion, JSF EFGR.1 Nah, now that I say it, Lightning EFGR.1 kind of rolls nicely off the tongue!D 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhantomBigStu Posted August 29, 2016 Share Posted August 29, 2016 Suspect it will be FGA.1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heloman1 Posted August 29, 2016 Share Posted August 29, 2016 You ain't gonna see but one F-35 unit. The crabs just won't let the FAA have any say in the way it's going to be opperated. Nothing pollitcally intended but the crabs have shot the FAA in the bum... Look back to the end of WWI. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Britman Posted August 30, 2016 Share Posted August 30, 2016 As said before, F35B (Lightning FA 1 ) for the navy and F35A (Lightning FGR 2 ) for the RAF. Maybe forty for the FAA and the rest for the RAF. I would think that number would suffice for an "aggressive " cruise? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exdraken Posted August 30, 2016 Share Posted August 30, 2016 what about a bomb truck for the RAF? like a C model wing with lighter A model undercarriage for land based operations? I know, I am dreaming a little..... sorry for off topic! the FAA gave herself up somehow when letting the Amraam capable FA.2 go... and the RAF gave up useful expeditionary ops planes with the Jag and the Harrier.... so not too much to expect! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobski Posted August 30, 2016 Share Posted August 30, 2016 The official name for the F-35 in UK service is, currently, the F-35B Lightning II. No word on any UK designation for it, and I wouldn't be surprised if there wasn't one. There wasn't for the C-17. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truro Model Builder Posted August 31, 2016 Share Posted August 31, 2016 (edited) There was never a UK designation for the C-17 as it was originally a leased aircraft. By the time we bought them outright all the documentation/software referred to the C-17A and it was decided that it was not worthwhile to change it. Of course, we could have called it the Globemaster C. Mk. 17A. Edited August 31, 2016 by T7 Models 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff_B Posted September 1, 2016 Share Posted September 1, 2016 As said before, F35B (Lightning FA 1 ) for the navy and F35A (Lightning FGR 2 ) for the RAF. Maybe forty for the FAA and the rest for the RAF. I would think that number would suffice for an "aggressive " cruise? No chance it will be at least 48 F-35B as that's the first tranche and I expect another 48 F-35B to give the 72 required for full carrier strike using both carriers and an active reserve. You may find the reaming 44 aircraft of the 138 to be F-35A but that will increase costs somewhat as separate parts stream is then required. It won't be 40 F-35B and the rest A's as that can't meet the Carrier Strike capability and also removes the purpose for buying them in the first place as the Carriers are supposed to be floating airbases reducing the requirement for overflights and forward basing such as the problems we encountered in Operation Telic. A bit stupid having two carriers with only an air group for one and two thirds of the aircraft sat at Marham scratching their bottoms as no way to get to the battlespace or operate from, as our Tornadoes were for the initial Afghanistan operation sat in the Gulf whilst the French and US carrier aircraft flew missions off the Indian coast to support our Marines taking Kabul. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exdraken Posted September 1, 2016 Share Posted September 1, 2016 No chance it will be at least 48 F-35B as that's the first tranche and I expect another 48 F-35B to give the 72 required for full carrier strike using both carriers and an active reserve. You may find the reaming 44 aircraft of the 138 to be F-35A but that will increase costs somewhat as separate parts stream is then required. It won't be 40 F-35B and the rest A's as that can't meet the Carrier Strike capability and also removes the purpose for buying them in the first place as the Carriers are supposed to be floating airbases reducing the requirement for overflights and forward basing such as the problems we encountered in Operation Telic. A bit stupid having two carriers with only an air group for one and two thirds of the aircraft sat at Marham scratching their bottoms as no way to get to the battlespace or operate from, as our Tornadoes were for the initial Afghanistan operation sat in the Gulf whilst the French and US carrier aircraft flew missions off the Indian coast to support our Marines taking Kabul. wait and see... they can always scrap a carrier... (there was actually already a plan to only operate one of them....) reason is nto always the force that prevails unfortunately! (see recently upgraded GR.9s and then sold for scrap ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Britman Posted September 1, 2016 Share Posted September 1, 2016 It was my thought that we as usual would only put one carrier to sea at any one time! Hence my musings. I am well aware that these things are complex. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huvut76g7gbbui7 Posted September 1, 2016 Share Posted September 1, 2016 I have the Hasewaga kit and will build it in what I think the FAA would have it painted. Colin You mean like my avatar ? I agree with you here Colin,doubt if 'Royal Navy' will be writ large on them. Low viz Phoenix...we'll see! Richard 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Britman Posted September 2, 2016 Share Posted September 2, 2016 Low viz,low interest! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Posted September 2, 2016 Share Posted September 2, 2016 POW will be a assault ship carrying the Merlin 4 so Ocean can be scrapped & her crew moved to the carrier as shortages in crew joining the Royal Navy,to fill ship crew requirements. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FIGHTS ON Posted September 2, 2016 Share Posted September 2, 2016 Designation will be F-35B - SOPs are pretty well are along USMC guidelines AND I reckon you'll see a significant amount of USMC jets operating from the UK ships in the next 10 years - so keeping the same designation makes sense. remember the "spare parts" are mostly common to all, so when a jet breaks down aboard QE in the Indian Ocean, the part sent out from LM in the US may well be a refurbished part from a Dutch F-35 - again, can't start allowing the brits to start re-designating the jets something else - it'll confuse UPS/FEDEX or whoever now owns the re-supply chain! A better question is what will be written on the side of the planes! The Junior service like to wear the red & blue tail flash, yet the Senior Service (by some 1930's act of parliament) is required to write "Royal Navy" on it's planes......probably an academic question as the Junior service will probably be disbanded by the mid 2020's anyway now where was the manning for these 2 carriers coming from again............. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonywood Posted September 3, 2016 Share Posted September 3, 2016 When the RN squadrons operated the Harrier GR7/9 they were in standard RAF finish with fin flashes, no RN titles but naval sqn marks. I expect the F-35 will be the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meatbox8 Posted September 5, 2016 Share Posted September 5, 2016 When the RN squadrons operated the Harrier GR7/9 they were in standard RAF finish with fin flashes, no RN titles but naval sqn marks. I expect the F-35 will be the same. Unfortunately I read somewhere that the F-35Bs will have no unit markings whatsoever, nor Royal Navy markings. Central servicing or a crab power grab? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Britman Posted September 6, 2016 Share Posted September 6, 2016 I was always led to believe that insignia was very important to service men and women the world over. Am I wrong? Moral and the feeling of unit pride are big motivators are they not? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan P Posted September 6, 2016 Share Posted September 6, 2016 Officially all F-35s in HM Forces will share a generic markings system. How that works in practice is yet to be seen. And it will be called F-35B Lightning II in service. But things do change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zaggy Posted September 6, 2016 Share Posted September 6, 2016 The problem we'll see with the F-35 is that the surface finish contributes to its LO capabilities. Go splashing paint all over them and you compromise that underlying LO finish...D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Posted September 6, 2016 Share Posted September 6, 2016 First of three plastic weighed F35c is now at Culdrose school of flight deck handling under raps till New centre section of New carriers is constructed. Two more nearing completion at Newquay . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tweeky Posted September 6, 2016 Share Posted September 6, 2016 There both being given the F35 WE designation standing for Waste of energy or white Elephant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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