First F35s to Marham 5th June

[Spiny Norman]

The One Show has a piece on the delivery tonight.

Wonder if that's connected to Dan Snow flying in a Tornado to meet them?

[boff180]

Yes, the piece has been recorded by Dan Snow.

[Spiny Norman]

I think the RAF PR unit would be well pleased with that report.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0bdfsp7/the-one-show-06082018

Some tidy formation work shown here. I think we have RAFAT's Hawk replacements ready. Nine F-35s now in the UK too...

[MikeH]

I'm sure the MoD are as happy with the brief, trite sound bites resulting from Mr Snow's "jolly" as they are with the investment in their new jets. I'm having difficulty coming to terms with the cost effectiveness of such an aircraft / aircraft carrier combo (a soft target if ever there was one,) and the potential effectiveness they will have on any perceived adversary.

[Spiny Norman]

I'm sure the MoD are as happy with the brief, trite sound bites resulting from Mr Snow's "jolly" as they are with the investment in their new jets. I'm having difficulty coming to terms with the cost effectiveness of such an aircraft / aircraft carrier combo (a soft target if ever there was one,) and the potential effectiveness they will have on any perceived adversary.

Is it to have a British mark number? Is it to be the Lightning FG.1?

[Seahornet]

Is it to have a British mark number? Is it to be the Lightning FG.1?

Shall we have a guess...?

I'll go for EFGR1

[Tmyers123]

Think I’ll go for FGR.1

[MikeH]

M.1 (M=Multirole.)

[Stagger2]

Definitely 'Combined Role And Purpose Mk2'. Confirming it's F-35 Lightning & CRAP 2.

[FarnboroJohn]

Given the importance of "Vertical" in the title and the extended development I reckon Lightning V6.1 is the answer.

[Seahornet]

Here's a list of previous examples; consider which of the Lightning's roles should get a mention, (or which aircraft it has ultimately replaced) and get concatenating!

Prefixes:-

Designation / Role / Example

A Airborne Forces Halifax A.9
ABR Amphibian Boat Reconnaissance Sea Otter ABR.1
AEW Airborne Early Warning Sentry AEW.1
AH Army Helicopter Gazelle AH.1
AL Army Liaison Beaver AL.1
AOP Air Observation Post Auster AOP.9
AS Anti-Submarine Avenger AS.4
ASR Air Sea Rescue Seagull ASR.1
B Bomber Washington B.1
B(I) Bomber (Interdictor) Canberra B(I).8
B(K) Bomber (Tanker) Valiant B(K.1
B(PR) Bomber (Photographic
Reconnaissance)
Valiant B(PR).1
B PR(K) Bomber Photographic
Reconnaissance (Tanker)
Valiant B(PR)K.1
B(SR) Bomber (Strategic Reconnaissance) Victor B(SR).2
B(TT) Bomber (Target tower) Canberra B(TT).2
C Transport Beverley C.1
CC Communications Islander CC.2
COD Carrier Onboard Delivery Gannet COD.4
C(PR) Transport (Photo Reconnaissance) Pembroke C(PR).1
D Drone Sea Vixen D.3
E Electronic Andover E.3
ECM Electronic Counter Measures Gannet ECM.4
F Fighter Sabre F.2
FA, F/A Fighter/Attack Sea Harrier FA.2
FAW, (F(AW) Fighter All-Weather Javelin F(AW).7
FB Fighter Bomber Venom FB.4
FB(T) Fighter Bomber (Trainer) Vampire FB(T).5
FG Fighter Ground (Attack) Phantom FG.1
FGA Fighter Ground Attack Sea Hawk FGA.6
FGR Fighter Ground-attack and
Reconnaissance
Phantom FGR.2
FR Fighter Reconnaissance Swift FR.5
FRS Fighter, Reconnaissance, Strike Sea Harrier FRS.1
GA Ground Attack Hunter GA.11
GR General Reconnaissance (to 1950) Sunderland GR.5
GR Ground attack, Reconnaissance Jaguar GR.1
GT Glider Tug Master GT.II
HAR Helicopter Air Rescue Whirlwind HAR.10
HAS Helicopter Anti-Submarine Sea King HAS.5
HC Helicopter Transport Belvedere HC.1
HCC Helicopter Communications Whirlwind HCC.12
HM Helicopter Maritime Merlin HM.1
HMA Helicopter Maritime Attack Lynx HMA.8
HR Helicopter Rescue Sycamore HR.12
HT Helicopter Trainer Skeeter HT.11
HU Helicopter Utility Wessex HU.5
ITF Interim Torpedo Fighter Beaufighter VI(ITF)
K Tanker VC.10 K.2
KC Tanker, Transport Tristar KC.1
Met Meteorology Brigand Met.3
MR Maritime Reconnaissance Shackleton MR.3
MRA Maritime Reconnaissance and Attack Nimrod MR.4
NF Night Fighter Venom NF.3
NF(T) Night Fighter (Trainer) Vampire NF(T).10
PR Photographic Reconnaissance Meteor PR.10
R Reconnaissance Sentinel R.1
S Strike Wyvern S.4
SR Strategic Reconnaissance Vulcan SR.2
ST Special Transport Albemarle ST.VI
T Trainer Chipmunk T.10
TF Torpedo Fighter Firebarnd TF.5
TR Torpedo Reconnaissance Mosquito TR.33
TT Target Tower Tempest TT.5
TX Trainer Glider Prefect TX.1
U Unmanned (to 1956) Lincoln U.5
U Utility Not used
W Weather Hercules W.2

List found here: - https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5685008e0e4c1155e1f6e9e0/t/588f2378893fc08d03ae9843/1485775759297/British+military+aircraft+designations+1945+to+date.pdf

[toom317]

G1UE. Get 1 up eventually.