Britain’s newest jet fighter has finally made its first public flight, zooming over the crowds at the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford in what a government minster called “a demonstration the UK is not retreating into its shell” after the Brexit vote.

Speaking moments before the F-35B Lightning’s maiden public flight in the UK, Philip Dunne, defence procurement minister, spelled out the importance of the aircraft programme to the UK’s national security and defence industry.

“This is the largest military programme in the world, and Britain is the only tier-one partner in it, with 15pc of every one of the jets manufactured in the UK,” Mr Dunne said.

“It will sustain jobs and skills across the nation and, as well as having an industrial component, gives the UK a clear military advantage.”