The new F-35 Lightning II strike fighter jet came out on top against the F-16 in the United States Air Force’s premier air combat exercise, Red Flag.
The war games are held annually at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada, with pilots and maintainers from 388th and 419th Fighter Wings at Hill AFB, Utah taking part.
After eight days of intensive war simulations, the F-35A conventional aircraft achieved a 15:1 kill ratio against the F-16s.
F-35 pilot and 34th Fighter Squadron commander, Lt Col George Watkins, commented: “I’ve had four of my (F-35A) pilots come back from missions, guys who have flown the F-15 and F-16 at Red Flag for years, and tell me ‘This is amazing. I’ve never had this much situational awareness while I’m in the air. I know who’s who, I know who’s being threatened, and I know where I need to go next.’
“You just don’t have all of that information at once in fourth-generation aircraft.”
The ‘jump jet’ B version of the fifth-generation strike fighter will fly from HMS Queen Elizabeth and her sister Prince of Wales.
© SpaceKris / Shutterstock.com
If you would like to join our community and read more articles like this then please click here
F-35 Lightning II HMS Queen Elizabeth Red Flag Royal Navy war games
Post written by: Matt Brown
RELATED ARTICLES
January 10, 2025
Maritime - Navantia secures future of Harland & Wolff Shipyards
1,000 jobs saved across Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Devon as Navantia UK agrees to acquire Harland & Wolff’s four shipyards. In
January 9, 2025
Maritime - Trial sees Royal Navy high tech autonomous mine hunting capability move a step closer
World-leading advanced autonomous mine hunting capabilities for the Royal Navy have moved a step closer after a prototype uncrewed boat
