The United Kingdom has welcomed home its first four F-35B advanced fighter aircraft, which will be flown by the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy.

617 Squadron of the Royal Air Force has been formally stood up as the RAF's first F35B Lightning II squadron.

The Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson experienced the world-class technology of the new F-35 today in a Lockheed Martin F-35 simulator in London.

The UK has taken delivery of its 14th F-35B Lightning II which flew into Beaufort, South Carolina last week to take its place as part of the Lightning Fleet, set to operate from Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers and RAF Marham.

Critics of the F-35B would be ‘silenced very quickly’ if they realised how powerful the aircraft were according to Squadron Leader Andy Edgell.

The UK’s cutting-edge F-35 fighter jet is now cleared for take-off from HMS Queen Elizabeth following successful trials using the ski-ramp design featured on the UK flagship.

All new UK fighter pilots pass through RAF Valley before they reach their frontline Squadron.

Royal Navy and Royal Air Force pilots teamed up with fellow F-35 pilots from Italy and the Netherlands to take part in the latest interoperability trials that see coalition forces flying F-35s in a simulated mission scenario with other UK military platforms across land, sea and air.

With the F-35B, the whole experience is much more controlled and predictable with the majority of the launch autonomous, allowing the pilot to focus on the mission ahead rather than being distracted by the launch.”

The 318th rear section for an F-35 Lightning II combat jet has rolled off the BAE Systems production line in Samlesbury, Lancashire meaning that 10% of the global requirement has now been produced.