Royal Navy pilot helps Japan get to grips with its new fleet of F-35B Lightnings
A Royal Navy pilot has been helping his Japanese allies enter the Lightning era – by training them to operate the F-35B.
The F-35 Lightning II is one of the most sophisticated military aircraft in the world, but while the A and B models share many core systems, the aircraft are distinctly different.
Japan already operates the F-35A, the conventional, land-based variant of the fifth-generation fighter, but the Japan Air Self-Defence Force (JASDF) is now being introduced to the F-35B.
Lieutenant Commander Nick Baker of the Royal Navy is working with fellow F-35 pilots as part of the US Patuxent River Integrated Test Force.
These experts, who are some of the most experienced Lightning pilots, are helping the JASDF conduct a series of tests with the F-35B.
"The trials need to assure Japan with recommendations on how they can fully operate the aircraft in the future," Lt Cdr Baker explained.
"But the trials also included some unusual deck manoeuvres, such as landing facing aft, or across the deck with the F-35's nose facing the superstructure and vertical take-offs."
F-35A and F-35B jets are both variants of the F-35 Lightning II – but have key differences in design and role.
The F-35A is lighter, more agile, has greater range and is less expensive.
The B model is a multi-role aircraft, capable of conducting air-to-surface, electronic warfare, intelligence-gathering and air-to-air missions simultaneously.
It is designed for short take-off and vertical landing, allowing it to operate from small runways or ship decks.
There are three main variants of the F-35, A, B and C, with all British versions being the B.
In March 2020, the UK's then-defence minister Jeremy Quin stated the price of an F-35B was $115m, about £88.8m when using the UK Government's March 2020 exchange rates, covering its airframe and engine costs.
So far, Japan has invested in 42 of the Lightning B Models.
The Japanese F-35s will be flown from Izumo-class multi-purpose destroyers, led by JS Kaga, that have been converted for Lightning operations.
JS Kaga was originally commissioned as a helicopter destroyer, and is currently undergoing conversion into a light aircraft carrier.
The modifications include the provision of more than 800ft of flight deck, a single rather than twin island superstructure and no ski ramp.
Reams of data on each serial were gathered and analysed, and the results will be presented to the Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force.
Britons will fly F-35s off the Japanese vessel again this summer as Kaga joins the UK Carrier Strike Group in the Pacific during one leg of its 2025 deployment.
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