LONDON, the UK (BulgarianMilitary.com), 4 September 2018, Editor: Galina Zdravkova, Photo credit: Lockheed Martin/British-armed F-35B Lightning jet

The UK Ministry of Defence revealed on 30 August 2018 that the Britain’s new stealth short take-off and vertical landing fighter jet F-35B Lightning armed with UK-built weapons has passed its first trials. That was announced by the Defence Minister Stuart Andrew on his visit to the Defence Electronics and Components Agency (DECA) in Wales, learned BulgarianMilitary.com

It is planned the Welsh facility to become a global hub for provision of maintenance, repair, overhaul and upgrade services for F-35 avionics, electronic and electrical components, fuel, mechanical and hydraulic systems.

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The comment of the UK Defence Minister Stuart Andrew was, “The F-35 Lightning fleet has moved another step closer to defending the skies and supporting our illustrious aircraft carriers with this landmark flight. Exceptional engineering from the UK is not only helping to build what is the world’s most advanced fighter jet, but is also ensuring that it is equipped with the very best firepower. This flight by a British pilot, in a British F-35 jet with British-built weapons is a symbol of the major part we are playing in what is the world’s biggest ever defence programme, delivering billions for our economy and a game-changing capability for our Armed Forces.”

The F-35B all-weather stealth multirole fighter took off from Edwards Air Force base in southern California. It was flown by a British pilot from RAF 17 Squadron and carried ASRAAM air-to-air missiles. It was the first-time when UK weapons have flown on a British F-35.

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ASRAAM is an abbreviation of ‘Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missile’. The ASRAAM missiles are built by the world leader in missile systems MBDA in Bolton (North West England) and are just some of the essential parts, which the United Kingdom is supplying under the F-35 programme..

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