
The first of Britain's new supersonic 'stealth' strike fighters has taken to UK skies.

These amazing pictures show the £100million aircraft - accompanied by a United States Marine Corps F-35B aircraft - flying over the North Sea today after taking off from RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire.

The first of Britain's new supersonic stealth strike fighters has touched down in the UK for the first time. The F-35B Lightning II jet was accompanied today over the North Sea by a United States Marine Corps F-35B aircraft

The combined US/UK team of aircrew and engineers are here in the UK fly at the Royal International Air Tattoo and Farnborough International Air Show over the next few weeks

On Wednesday, the F-35B Lightning II jet was flown by RAF pilot Squadron Leader Hugh Nichols for its first transatlantic crossing when he joined by two United States Marine Corps F-35B aircraft from their training base at Beaufort, South Carolina.

The combined US/UK team of aircrew and engineers are here in the UK to demonstrate what the 5th generation state of the art aircraft can do, flying at the Royal International Air Tattoo and Farnborough International Air Show over the next few weeks.

The arrival in the UK came two years after the plane pulled out of air shows because of an engine fire.

It will carry out its first flight over its new base at RAF Marham, Norfolk, and over the two aircraft carriers currently being built in Scotland.

The Ministry of Defence has so far bought eight of the jets, which are set to fly off the two carriers by 2020.

Each plane costs £100 million. They are the first vertical take-off planes since the Harriers were scrapped.

The Ministry of Defence has so far bought eight of the jets, which are set to fly off carriers by 2020

Equipped with laser-guided missiles and bombs, when the planes go into service they will fly secret missions blitzing enemy strongholds

The F35 jets have a range of 1,300 miles so will fly over war zones after taking off from the carriers in the middle of the ocean

The F-35B Lightning II jet was flown over the North Sea today by RAF Pilot Squadron Leader High Nichols

Four of the planes are currently in their test and evaluation stage and it is one of those that arrived in the UK.

In total five of the jets are being delivered this week.

Equipped with laser-guided missiles and bombs, when they go into service they will fly secret missions blitzing enemy strongholds.

They have a range of 1,300miles so will fly over war zones after taking off from the carriers in the middle of the ocean.

Based at RAF Marham, they will be flown by Royal Navy and RAF pilots of the new 617 Squadron.

The new jet pictured today over the North Sea, along with an escort from a United States Marine Corps F-35B aircraft

The squadron was made famous as the Dambusters during the war but it has now been disbanded and specially re-formed to fly the new planes.

Mr Nichols, 38, from Epsom, Surrey, became the first British pilot to make a vertical landing in a F35-B at the Eglin Air Force Base in the US in March 2014.

He studied at the University of York before joining the RAF in April 2000. He was then selected to go on exchange with the US Air Force.

The jets took off from MCAS Beaufort, South Carolina, in the early hours of yesterday morning.

The F-35B Lightning II jet during operations today over the North Sea after flying to the UK this week from the US

The £100million British F-35B Lightning II jet over the North Sea today

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said of their arrival: ‘The F-35Bs are the most advanced fast jets in the world. ‘Whether operating from land or from one of our two new aircraft carriers, they will ensure we have a formidable fighting force'