New Lightning fighter jets due in Norfolk as early as June

Britain's new F-35 Lightning stealth fighter jets are expected to touch down in the UK in June. Credit: Ken Pike/MoD/Crown copyright/PA Wire/PA Images

Britain's cutting-edge F-35 Lightning stealth fighter jets are expected totouch down in the UK in June and will be based at RAF Marham in Norfolk.

The arrival of the aircraft is two months' ahead of schedule.

Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson confirmed the imminent arrival of the multimillion-pound supersonic warplanes during an event to mark the 75th anniversary of the daring Dambusters raid.

The Lancasters flown by 617 Squadron used Barnes Wallis's revolutionarybouncing bombs to target and disable Hitler's industrial heartland during their night-time mission on May 16/17 1943.

More than seven decades later, the squadron was recently stood back up for the supersonic jets at the Norfolk airfield near King's Lynn.

Announcing the arrival of the jets on Wednesday while at RAF Coningsby, the Defence Secretary said: "Seventy-five years ago the Dambusters pushed the boundaries of what was possible."

The new Lightning jets will be based at RAF Marham in Norfolk. Credit: Ken Pike/MoD/Crown copyright/PA Wire/PA Images

Four of the aircraft are due to fly across the Atlantic Ocean from the UnitedStates next month and will do so with between 12 and 15 air-to-air refuellingserials per jet.

They are due to arrive two months ahead of schedule, which the Ministry ofDefence said allows for extra training time for 617 Squadron before declaring initial operational service from land later this year.

The commanding officer of 617 Squadron, Wing Commander John Butcher, said: "I have the great privilege of leading a jointly manned squadron made up of the best engineers, mission support personnel and pilots from the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy.

"The original Dambuster squadron did not know what their mission was going to be until the last moment, yet they had to make sure they were ready, and that is as true for us today.

Wing Commander Guy Gibson (left), while Commanding Officer of 617 Squadron during World War 2 and the new CO of the squadron, Wing Commander John Butcher (right) Credit: MoD

The UK is embarked on a £9.1 billion programme to buy 48 by 2025 of the F-35, the world's most advanced fighter jet, from American aviation giant Lockheed Martin, but has pledged to purchase 138.

Britain currently has 15 of the short take-off and vertical landing variant ofthe jets in the United States being tested and used for training.

Later this year F-35 flight trials will take place off the £3.1 billionbehemoth aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth.

The UK is buying 48 of the F-35 Lightning jet fighters from the United States. Credit: Ken Pike/MoD/Crown copyright/PA Wire/PA Images