Source · Select Committees · Defence Committee
Recommendation 4
4
Accepted
Paragraph: 36
Require MoD transparency on F-35 fleet size, attribution, and deployment alongside USMC
Conclusion
The MoD must be transparent and realistic about the eventual size of the F-35 fleet, recognising that the planned deferral of this decision to the middle of this decade will damage the ability of UK industry to maintain an ongoing production capacity for combat air, and should also make clear whether it is attributed to the Royal Navy or the RAF. When deciding whether to purchase further F-35s, the MoD should carefully consider the advantages that would be offered by a mixed fleet of F-35A and B variant aircraft. The MoD should also clarify whether its intention is that the fleet will routinely be deployed alongside US Marine Corps F-35Bs on UK carriers.
Government Response Summary
The government confirms Tranche 1 (48 aircraft by 2025) and Tranche 2 (27 aircraft, early next decade) purchases, and will consider the eventual F-35 fleet size and variant choice in the mid-2020s as part of the next Strategic Defence Review. It clarifies the Lightning force is RAF-owned but jointly-crewed and operated, and states it is not UK policy to routinely deploy carriers with USMC aircraft embarked.
Paragraph Reference:
36
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
UK F-35 aircraft are being procured in ‘Tranches’, in line with Defence need. Delivery of our Tranche 1 buy (48 aircraft) will complete by 2025. The Government has outlined plans to buy a further 27 aircraft as part of a ‘Tranche 2’ purchase, which we expect to complete in the early part of the next decade, and which will allow the formation of three front-line Squadrons. We expect the production line to continue to run for many years. We will consider again in the mid-2020s the F-35 fleet size as part of the next Strategic Defence Review. Our decisions on F-35 will align with the needs of the Global Combat Air Programme to ensure the UK has the mix of combat air types it needs to meet Defence requirements and evolving threats; as part of that investment decision process, we will also consider the best variant (A or B model) to meet Defence’s needs. It is also right to point out that no procurement decisions on F-35 have been deferred; indeed, procurement was accelerated in 2015 to form two front-line Squadrons from the Government’s Tranche 1 procurement. We acknowledge the Committee’s concerns on F-35 technician numbers, though we reject that it was “inexcusable”. We set the number of technicians on our F-35 squadrons based on the programme’s original assumption of the number of maintainers required per aircraft. As we have gained experience of operating the aircraft, we have found that an increase in maintainers (by around 20%) will improve resilience in the engineering task and have adapted our plans accordingly. While RAF “owned”, the UK Lightning force is jointly-crewed and operated from both land bases and our carriers. The versatility of F-35, such that it can operate at high readiness from both environments, depending on the operational requirement, is a real strength and offers the UK more flexibility and productivity. The UK will continue to look for opportunities regularly to operate alongside our US Marine Corps (USMC) allies, as well as other partner nations, to improve interoperability, but it is not UK policy to routinely deploy the Queen Elizabeth Class carriers with USMC aircraft embarked.