Ministry of Defence invests £161m in F-35 jet maintenance in Norfolk

The UK's fleet of F-35 Lightning stealth jets are to be maintained and supported in a new £161m contract, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced.

The investment in the RAF Marham-based UK Lightning Force would sustain 140 jobs, 130 directly at the Norfolk base, it said.

The contract will run until 2027.

Defence Minister Alex Chalk said: "This investment will ensure our jets remain equipped for combat operations around the world."

The contract was signed by the US Joint Program Office and Lockheed Martin as F-35 prime contractor, with BAE Systems as a sub-contractor.

The MoD said the F-35 Lightning was a multi-role, stealth aircraft containing "cutting-edge technologies", flown by both the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force.

The fighter jets touched down at their new home in Norfolk in 2018.

They replaced RAF Marham's Tornado GR4s, which were taken out of service in 2019 after almost 40 years.

F-35s also operate from the UK's two new Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers and other land bases.

The MoD said the agreement, which succeeds a previous contract that was due to end this year, offered the UK more freedom to operate the aircraft, increased the number of flying hours available and delivered "important mission planning, training, and maintenance capabilities".

Negotiated by Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S), the Lightning Air System National Capability Enterprise (LANCE) contract will provide technical support and training services for the UK's F-35 fleet.

Air Cdre Phil Brooker, principal engineer at DE&S, said it was a "significant milestone in the maturity of the UK's F-35 National Support Solution".

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