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F-35 Stealth Fighters Are Great (But the UK Needs Pilots)

F-35B
A U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II assigned to the Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 211, 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, flies over Afghanistan, Sept. 27, 2018. The F-35B combines next-generation fighter characteristics of radar-evading stealth, supersonic speed, fighter agility and advanced logistical support with the most powerful and comprehensive integrated sensor package of any fighter aircraft in the U.S. inventory, providing the commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) significantly improved capability to approach missions from a position of strength. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Staff Sgt. Corey Hook)

The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is arguably the most capable fighter jet in the world today. However, the capabilities of the aircraft are still only as good as the pilots in the cockpit – a fact that the UK’s Royal Air Force (RAF) now knows all too well. With just over twenty of the fifth-generation stealth fighters in service, the RAF is struggling to train the pilots.

In fact, the RAF has just thirty-three pilots that are qualified to fly its fleet of twenty-seven Lightning IIs. Yet, the issue isn’t with the fighter, admitted UK Minister of Defence Ben Wallace, who said that RAF’s flight training has been beset by delays, and some pilots have been waiting up to eight years to qualify – instead of the targeted time of two-to-three years.

“Our pilot pipeline is not a place I would want it to be,” Wallace told reporters this week.

The UK is now on track to field a total of seventy-four F-35Bs by the end of the decade, but it is unclear if it will have enough pilots qualified to actually operate all of those fighters.

Ties That Bind

The RAF is not alone in facing a pilot shortage, and the United States Air Force has also struggled in recent years to keep the cockpits filled. There are other significant considerations at play.

“The announcement comes at a time of great change in the global security environment, as the UK is still seeking to reaffirm its position in the defense industry in a post-Brexit world. The financial importance of the F-35 and other programs should not be understated with allies such as the U.S. placing great value on the economic commitment to defense demonstrated by the UK,” explained Madeline Wild, aerospace, defense & security analyst at international analytics firm GlobalData, via an email.

Moreover, programs such as the F-35 can help to secure ties to the U.S. by providing a substantial revenue stream to U.S. defense primes. UK firms also stand to benefit, as fifteen percent of F-35 components are now produced in the UK. The number of F-35Bs in use by the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy will be more than triple the current twenty-six in operation by the end of the decade, an increase of forty-eight units. GlobalData forecasts the UK will spend $11.7 billion on the procurement of F-35Bs from 2022 to 2032.

“The UK’s commitment to the program has been demonstrated by the announcement of future F-35 fleet numbers,” said Wild. “This number will provide the UK with more stealth-strike, ISR, and EW capabilities. These benefits will not be reaped, however, if the RAF does not reform the training and recruitment pipelines for its pilots.”

In addition, the importance placed by the U.S. on the UK’s financial commitment to defense is reflected in the MoD’s ongoing desire to see the UK defense budget grow to three percent. GlobalData has forecast that the UK defense budget will reach $75.6 billion by 2028.

“The results of the review of the Integrated Review are due by the end of 2022, which will shed further light on the UK’s assessment on the full impact of the invasion of Ukraine, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the cost-of-living crisis on the direction of UK’s foreign and defense policy,” added Wild.


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Addressing the Pilot Shortages

The pilot shortage will still need to be addressed, but it is doubtful that the UK won’t be able to find at least 100 individuals who’d jump at a chance to fly the F-35. The greater issue may be time.

“There is concern for operational capability of the in-service squadrons of F-35Bs as there are too few pilots to fly its current fleet,” Wild noted. “No information was given to as to how many were currently in training, but recent reports indicated that trainee pilots were waiting longer than usual for a specific training course. UK fast-jet pilots typically take 4.8 years to reach the operational conversion unit of their specified aircraft. This does not include the time taken to recruit or conduct basic officer training, meaning that the UK will still struggle to fill the new pilot requirement by the end of the decade.”

A Senior Editor for 1945, Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,000 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu.


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Written By

Expert Biography: A Senior Editor for 1945, Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer who has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,000 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu.

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