F-35 Lightning II United Kingdom fleet increases capability at Eglin
A second British F-35B Lightning II arrives at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., from Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base, Texas, increasing the capability for pilot and maintenance training. The first class of United Kingdom Royal Air Force and Royal Navy aircraft maintainers attending courses at the F-35 Academic Training Center met the jet flown by U.K. Royal Air Force Sqn. Ldr. Jim Schofield. The U.K. aircraft are imbedded in the Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501, and are used by both countries to conduct F-35 training. Accompanied by a U.S. F-35B, there are now 13 B variants of the joint strike fighter at the Marine squadron. Combined with the nine A variants flown by the Air Force, Eglin is the largest fleet of F-35s in the world. Later this month, an RAF and RN pilot will begin instructor pilot training, making them the first international pilots trained at Eglin on the fifth-generation, multi-role fighter.[U.S. Air Force photo/Maj. Karen Roganov]