The U.S. European Command (USEUCOM) is reporting that the U.S. Air Force will fill out its full complement of F-35 fighter strength in the U.K. by later this year. Two squadrons will be based at RAF Lakenheath base, bringing the forces to full strength. According to reports in Air & Space Forces magazine, in an April 3 statement to the Senate Armed Services Committee, Army Gen. Christopher G. Cavoli, commander of EUCOM, wrote, “USEUCOM established one F-35 squadron at Royal Air Force (RAF) Lakenheath in the United Kingdom, which is now fully operational. A second squadron of F-35s will be complete this summer and will achieve full operational capability this fall.”
Notably, the USAF’s F-35As are currently the only fifth-gen fighters capable of delivering nuclear weapons, specifically the 50 kiloton B61-12 gravity bomb. Units based at RAF Lakenheath include the 48th Fighter Wing, with two F-15E squadrons and the 495th Squadron and 493rd Squadron, both of which operate the F-35A. In total, both F-35A squadrons are expected to have 52 aircraft available at full strength.
