Editing Royal Air Force (section)

===Air combat===

====Typhoon====
[[File:Eurofighter Typhoon FIA 2012.jpg|thumb|[[Eurofighter Typhoon|Typhoon FGR4]]]]
[[File:F-35B (52298898734).jpg|thumb|[[Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II|F-35B Lightning]]]]
The [[Eurofighter Typhoon|Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4]] is the RAF's primary multi-role air defence and ground attack fighter aircraft,<ref name="RAFTYPH">{{Cite web|url=https://www.RAF.mod.uk/aircraft/typhoon-fgr4/|title=Typhoon FGR4|website=RAF.mod.uk|publisher=Royal Air Force|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200421163437/https://www.raf.mod.uk/aircraft/typhoon-fgr4/|archive-date=21 April 2020|access-date=24 May 2020|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Jennings|first=Gareth|date=22 September 2014|url=http://www.Janes.com/article/43466/raf-lossiemouth-undertakes-first-qra-north-scramble|title=RAF Lossiemouth undertakes first QRA North scramble|website=Janes.com|publisher=IHS Jane's Defence Weekly|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150201141549/http://www.janes.com/article/43466/raf-lossiemouth-undertakes-first-qra-north-scramble|archive-date=1 February 2015|access-date=23 September 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> following the retirement of the [[Panavia Tornado ADV|Panavia Tornado F3]] in late March 2011.<ref name=Retirement>{{Cite web|first=Craig|last=Hoyle|date=22 March 2011|url=http://www.FlightGlobal.com/articles/2011/03/22/354597/video.html|title=UK retires last Tornado F3 fighters|website=FlightGlobal.com|publisher=Flight Global|access-date=22 March 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110821065331/http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2011/03/22/354597/video.html |archive-date=21 August 2011|url-status=live}}</ref>  With the completion of 'Project Centurion' upgrades, the Typhoon FGR4 took over ground attack duties from the [[Panavia Tornado GR4]], which was retired on 1 April 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|first=Craig|last=Hoyle|date=8 November 2018|url=https://www.FlightGlobal.com/news/articles/picture-raf-tornado-gains-retirement-markings-453466/|title=The UK Royal Air Force is advancing with preparations to mark the departure from service of its last Panavia Tornado GR4 strike aircraft next March|website=FlightGlobal.com|publisher=Flight Global|access-date=14 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190124011009/https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/picture-raf-tornado-gains-retirement-markings-453466/|archive-date=24 January 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|first=Jon|last=Lake|date=4 February 2019|url=https://www.Janes.com/article/86148/raf-typhoons-replace-tornados-in-operation-shader-armed-with-brimstone-for-first-time|title=RAF Typhoons replace Tornados in Operation 'Shader' armed with Brimstone for first time|website=Janes.com|publisher=Jane's 360|access-date=14 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190207015331/https://www.janes.com/article/86148/raf-typhoons-replace-tornados-in-operation-shader-armed-with-brimstone-for-first-time|archive-date=7 February 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|first=Gareth|last=Jennings|date=6 July 2018|url=https://www.Janes.com/article/81570/raf-receives-first-centurion-typhoons-ahead-of-tornado-retirement|title=RAF receives first 'Centurion' Typhoons ahead of Tornado retirement|website=Janes.com|publisher=Jane's 360|access-date=1 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190301140140/https://www.janes.com/article/81570/raf-receives-first-centurion-typhoons-ahead-of-tornado-retirement|archive-date=1 March 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref>  The Typhoon is tasked to defend UK airspace, while also frequently deploying in support of NATO air defence missions in the Baltic (Operation Azotize), Black Sea (Operation Biloxi), and Iceland ([[Icelandic Air Policing]]).<ref name="RAFTYPH"/><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.RAF.mod.uk/news/articles/royal-air-force-jets-to-patrol-icelandic-skies-for-nato/|title=Royal Air Force jets to patrol Icelandic skies for NATO|website=RAF.mod.uk|publisher=Royal Air Force|date=13 November 2019|access-date=24 May 2020|archive-date=28 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200728115952/https://www.raf.mod.uk/news/articles/royal-air-force-jets-to-patrol-icelandic-skies-for-nato/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

The RAF has seven front-line Typhoon squadrons, plus an [[Operational Conversion Unit]] (OCU), and [[Operational Evaluation Unit]] (OEU); [[No. 3 Squadron RAF|No. 3 (Fighter) Squadron]], [[No. 11 Squadron RAF|No. XI (F) Squadron]], [[No. 12 Squadron RAF|No. 12 Squadron]] (joint RAF / [[Qatar Air Force]]), [[No. 29 Squadron RAF|No. 29 Squadron]] (OCU), and [[No. 41 Squadron RAF|No. 41 Test and Evaluation Squadron]] (OEU) based at [[RAF Coningsby]]; with [[1 Squadron RAF|No. 1 (F) Squadron]], [[No. 2 Squadron RAF|No. II (Army Cooperation) Squadron]], [[No. 6 Squadron RAF|No. 6 Squadron]], and [[No. 9 Squadron RAF|No. IX (Bomber) Squadron]] based at [[RAF Lossiemouth]].<ref name="RAFTYPH"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.Gov.uk/government/news/typhoon-aircraft-relocate-to-raf-lossiemouth|title=Typhoon aircraft relocate to RAF Lossiemouth|website=Gov.uk|publisher=[[HM Government]]|access-date=29 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151124133920/https://www.gov.uk/government/news/typhoon-aircraft-relocate-to-raf-lossiemouth|archive-date=24 November 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>  Additionally, four Typhoons (''Faith'', ''Hope'', ''Charity'', and ''Desperation''<ref>A referenced to aircraft of the [[Hal Far Fighter Flight RAF]] which defended Malta in the Second World War</ref>) are based at [[RAF Mount Pleasant]] on the [[Falkland Islands]], forming [[No. 1435 Flight RAF|No. 1435 Flight]], where they provide air defence.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.RAF.mod.uk/our-organisation/stations/raf-mount-pleasant/#1435-flight|title=RAF Mount Pleasant – 1435 Flight|website=RAF.mod.uk|publisher=Royal Air Force|access-date=24 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190329074753/https://www.raf.mod.uk/our-organisation/stations/raf-mount-pleasant/#1435-flight|archive-date=29 March 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref>  It was originally suggested that an eighth front-line Typhoon squadron could be formed,<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Warnes|first=Alan|date=June 2020|title=Reaching for the stars: UK combat air|magazine=[[Air Forces Monthly]]|publisher=[[Key Publishing]]|page=34}}</ref> however, the [[Defence in a Competitive Age|2021 Defence Command Paper]] announced the retirement of 24 Tranche 1 Typhoons by 2025, and a commitment to seven front-line squadrons.<ref name="2021DCP">{{Cite web|url=https://assets.publishing.service.Gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/971859/_CP_411__-_Defence_in_a_competitive_age.pdf|title=Defence in a competitive age|website=assets.publishing.service.Gov.uk|publisher=[[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]]|date=22 March 2021|access-date=26 March 2021|archive-date=23 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210323101323/https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/971859/_CP_411__-_Defence_in_a_competitive_age.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|first1=Guy|last1=Anderson|first2=Jon|last2=Hawkes|first3=Gareth|last3=Jennings|first4=Kate|last4=Tringham|url=https://www.Janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/the-uk-s-integrated-review-and-defence-command-paper|title=The UK's integrated review and Defence Command Paper|website=Janes.com|publisher=Janes|date=23 March 2021|access-date=26 March 2021|archive-date=25 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210325153823/https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/the-uk-s-integrated-review-and-defence-command-paper|url-status=live}}</ref>

The Typhoon made its combat debut in support of [[Operation Ellamy]] in 2011, and has been supporting [[Operation Shader]] since December 2015.<ref name="RAFTYPH"/> Typhoons have also been supporting [[2024 missile strikes in Yemen|Operation Poseidon Archer]] since January 2024.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/air-strikes-against-houthi-military-targets-in-yemen |title=Air strikes against Houthi military targets in Yemen: 11 January 2024  |website=gov.uk |date=12 January 2024 |access-date=15 August 2024}}</ref> The Typhoon made its first air-to-air kill in December 2021, shooting down a small hostile drone near [[Al-Tanf (U.S. military base)|Al-Tanf base]], Syria, with an [[ASRAAM]].<ref>{{cite web |first=Thomas |last=Newdick |url=https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/43547/british-typhoon-fighter-downed-a-drone-over-syria-for-its-first-air-to-air-kill |title=British Typhoon Fighter Downed A Drone Over Syria For Its First Air-To-Air Kill |website=The Drive |date=17 December 2021 |access-date=25 April 2023 |archive-date=25 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230425103941/https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/43547/british-typhoon-fighter-downed-a-drone-over-syria-for-its-first-air-to-air-kill |url-status=dead }}</ref>

====Lightning====
The [[Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II|Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II]] is a single-seat, single-engine, all-weather [[Stealth aircraft|stealth]] [[multirole combat aircraft]]. It is intended to perform both [[Air superiority fighter|air superiority]] and [[Attack aircraft|strike]] missions while also providing [[electronic warfare]] and [[intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance]] capabilities. It will be jointly operated by the RAF and the Royal Navy and with its ability to perform [[STOVL|short take-offs and vertical-landings]] (STOVL), can operate from the Royal Navy's [[Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier|''Queen Elizabeth''-class]] aircraft carriers.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Lightning F-35B|url=https://www.raf.mod.uk/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170910172607/https://www.raf.mod.uk/|archive-date=10 September 2017|access-date=1 July 2020|website=Royal Air Force|language=en-gb}}</ref> Originally a total of 138 Lightnings were planned,<ref>{{cite web|date=2 August 2012|title=UK Tornado fleet to retire in 2019, says BAE|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/uk-tornado-fleet-to-retire-in-2019-says-bae-375014/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120819071159/http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/uk-tornado-fleet-to-retire-in-2019-says-bae-375014/|archive-date=19 August 2012|access-date=4 November 2012|publisher=Flightglobal.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=25 March 2013|title=BBC News – RAF Marham base for Joint Strike Fighter|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-21925225|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130528100753/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-21925225|archive-date=28 May 2013|access-date=8 July 2013|publisher=BBC}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Gareth|last=Corfield|date=19 May 2017|title=Blighty's buying another 17 F-35s, confirms the American government|website=[[The Register]]|url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/05/19/uk_buys_17_more_f35b_lrip_12_14/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170806152349/http://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/05/19/uk_buys_17_more_f35b_lrip_12_14/|archive-date=6 August 2017|access-date=22 July 2017}}</ref> however the 2021 Defence Command Paper amended this to a commitment to increase the fleet beyond the current order of 48.<ref name="2021DCP"/> By May 2025, 39 F-35Bs had been delivered to the RAF<ref>{{cite web | url=https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/britain-takes-delivery-of-more-f-35-stealth-jets/ | title=Britain takes delivery of more F-35 stealth jets |website=U.K. Defence Journal |last=Langford |first=Craig | date= 8 May 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.f35.com/f35/global-enterprise/united-kingdom.html |title=United Kingdom |website=F-35 Lightning II |access-date=15 August 2024}}</ref><ref name="auto3">{{cite web | url=https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/britain-takes-delivery-of-more-new-f-35-stealth-jets/#:~:text=The%20arrival%20of%20more%20F,by%20the%20end%20of%202025. | title=Britain takes delivery of more new F-35 stealth jets |website=UK Defence Journal |last=Allison |first=George | date= 17 March 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |first=George |last=Allison |url=https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/britain-takes-delivery-of-more-f-35-jets/ |title=Britain takes delivery of more F-35 jets |website=UK Defence Journal |date=21 November 2022 |access-date=20 January 2023}}</ref> (though one crashed in November 2021).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.forces.net/news/hms-queen-elizabeth-british-f-35-crashes-over-mediterranean|title=HMS Queen Elizabeth: British F-35 crashes in Mediterranean|website=Forces Network|date=17 November 2021 |access-date=29 January 2022|archive-date=29 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220129150930/https://www.forces.net/news/hms-queen-elizabeth-british-f-35-crashes-over-mediterranean|url-status=live}}</ref> The F-35B has an out of service date (OSD) of 2069.<ref>{{cite web |first=Alex |last=Chalk |url=https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/33417/documents/181571/default/ |title=Letter dated 9th January from Secretary of State to Chair regarding F-35 Update |website=UK Parliament |date=9 January 2023 |access-date=27 January 2023}}</ref>

The first RAF squadron to operate the F-35B was [[No. 17 Squadron RAF|No. 17 Test and Evaluation Squadron]] at [[Edwards Air Force Base|Edwards AFB]], California, accepting its first aircraft in 2014.<ref name="17Sqn">{{cite web|title=17(R) Squadron|url=http://www.raf.mod.uk/organisation/17squadron.cfm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161028111104/http://www.raf.mod.uk/organisation/17squadron.cfm|archive-date=28 October 2016|access-date=1 April 2019|publisher=Royal Air Force}}</ref> [[No. 617 Squadron RAF|No. 617 (The Dambusters) Squadron]] officially reformed on 18 April 2018 as the first operational RAF Lightning squadron.<ref>{{cite web|date=2018-04-18|title=RAF's legendary Dambusters squadron reforms to fly F-35 Lightning jets &#124; Royal Air Force|url=https://www.raf.mod.uk/news/articles/rafs-legendary-dambusters-squadron-reforms-to-fly-f-35-jets/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180815200857/https://www.raf.mod.uk/news/articles/rafs-legendary-dambusters-squadron-reforms-to-fly-f-35-jets/|archive-date=15 August 2018|access-date=2018-08-15|publisher=Raf.mod.uk}}</ref> The first four aircraft arrived at [[RAF Marham]] from the United States in June 2018,<ref>{{cite web|author=Taz Ali|title=F-35 Lightning fighter jets arrive at RAF Marham &#124; Latest Norfolk and Suffolk News – Eastern Daily Press|date=7 June 2018|url=http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/f-35-lightning-touches-down-in-norfolk-1-5551093|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180815200954/http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/f-35-lightning-touches-down-in-norfolk-1-5551093|archive-date=15 August 2018|access-date=2018-08-15|publisher=Edp24.co.uk}}</ref> with a further five arriving in August 2018.<ref name="itv.com2">{{cite web|title=Further five F-35 fighter jets land at new RAF Marham home|url=http://www.itv.com/news/anglia/2018-08-04/further-five-f-35-fighter-jets-land-at-new-raf-marham-home/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180804170047/http://www.itv.com/news/anglia/2018-08-04/further-five-f-35-fighter-jets-land-at-new-raf-marham-home/|archive-date=4 August 2018|access-date=4 August 2018|website=ITN News|date=4 August 2018}}</ref> The Lightning was declared combat ready in January 2019.<ref>{{cite news|title=First F-35 jets ready to battle for Britain|url=https://www.thetimes.com/world/middle-east/article/first-f-35-jets-ready-to-battle-for-britain-2pnwb6lqr|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190111042516/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/first-f-35-jets-ready-to-battle-for-britain-2pnwb6lqr|archive-date=11 January 2019|access-date=11 January 2019}}</ref> The second UK based F-35B squadron to be formed was [[No. 207 Squadron RAF|No. 207 Squadron]] on 1 August 2019 as the OCU for both RAF and Royal Navy pilots.<ref>{{cite web|date=5 July 2017|title=Identity of F-35 Lightning Training Squadron Announced|url=https://www.raf.mod.uk/news/archive/identity-of-f35-lightning-training-squadron-announced-05072017/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170728213241/https://www.raf.mod.uk/news/archive/identity-of-f35-lightning-training-squadron-announced-05072017/|archive-date=28 July 2017|access-date=1 April 2019|publisher=Royal Air Force}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=17 July 2019|title=Second Lightning Fight Jet Squadron Arrives In UK|url=https://www.raf.mod.uk/news/articles/second-lightning-fighter-jet-squadron-arrives-in-uk/|access-date=20 January 2020|website=raf.mod.uk|archive-date=17 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190717153939/https://www.raf.mod.uk/news/articles/second-lightning-fighter-jet-squadron-arrives-in-uk/|url-status=live}}</ref>