Rapidly becoming the backbone of NATO combat airpower, the F-35A Lightning II has been acquired by a number of nations to replace their cold-war era third generation combat aircraft such as the F-16. Making their airshow debut at this years Air Tattoo are the 495th Fighter Squadron "the Valkyries" with one of their recently delivered F-35s on static display. The 495th Fighter Squadron are based at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk as part of the 48th Fighter Wing and are the first USAF F-35 unit to be based outside of the United States, with their first aircraft arriving during mid-December 2021. The F-35 is a fifth generation multi-role stealth fighter built in three variants sharing as many common parts as possible, the F-35A Conventional Take-Off variant and Landing (CTOL), F-35B Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing variant, and F-35C Carrier Take-off and Landing (CV) variant. 

 

Photo Credit: Paul Fiddian