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Lightning strikes in the land of fire and ice as F-35s complete Icelandic mission
2 September 2024
ROYAL Navy aviators today complete a month-long mission safeguarding Icelandic skies alongside RAF comrades.
For the past four weeks F-35B Lightnings have been deployed to the land of ice and fire – the first time they’ve been deployed on the key NATO mission.
The stealth fighters of 617 ‘Dambusters’ Squadron can normally be found either at RAF Marham – or on the deck of HM Ships Queen Elizabeth and Prince of Wales.
They swapped East Anglia for Naval Air Station Keflavik – next to Iceland’s principal airport, two dozen miles from the capital Reykjavik – for Operation Masterer.
For more than 15 years, NATO aircraft have patrolled Icelandic skies, responding to a request from the host nation which has no air force of its own to perform the mission.
Four F-35Bs have carried out the operation – the first time the UK’s only fifth-generation fighters have been used for Quick Reaction Alert duties.
QRA is the RAF’s response to hostile/unknown/rogue aircraft approaching the UK’s airspace – the modern-day equivalent of ringing the bell in the Battle of Britain and shouting ‘Scramble’.
This is the first time the Lightning Force has been called on to perform ‘Q shouts’ as the scrambles are known in RAF parlance – the mission has typically been carried out by Typhoons.
As a result, says junior engineering officer (‘’JENGO’ or Deputy Air Engineering Officer in his native Jackspeak) Lieutenant Sankey, the squadron has had to revise the way it works to have an F-35B immediately ready for take-off – known as ‘cocked on’.
This is the first time the UK F-35B has been used for such a mission set and it’s required us to push the boundary of existing operating procedures to design fast, safe, and effective means of ensuring we have aircraft ‘on state’ for tasking, 24/7
“This is the first time the UK F-35B has been used for such a mission set and it’s required us to push the boundary of existing operating procedures to design fast, safe, and effective means of ensuring we have aircraft ‘on state’ for tasking, 24/7,” he explained.
“For the team, this presented a steep learning curve, which they have overcome with huge enthusiasm knowing that what we have achieved here will shape how we use the F-35B both on land, and embarked, for future operations.”
He’s overseen a team of around 60 engineers maintaining the state-of-the-art stealth fighters. Like the rest of the 130-strong detachment in Iceland – and 617 Squadron – just under half the personnel are drawn from the Navy due to the mixed nature of the UK’s F-35 force (the other front-line Lightning formation, 809 NAS is a similar combination of dark and light blue).
Although the squadron is well versed with operating away from Marham from its numerous embarkations on HMS Queen Elizabeth (Lt Sankey has done three to date), moving kit and caboodle to Iceland for a few weeks offered a new challenge.
He says overseeing the F-35’s engineering support at Keflavik – as JENGO he’s expected to know all three aspects of the job: mechanical, avionics and armourer – has been “the pinnacle” of his time with the legendary RAF squadron.
“Being the complex machine it is, the F-35B requires round-the-clock maintenance from our team of engineers.
“Engineering the jet here in Iceland is exceptional and the host nation support has been outstanding. The most impressive thing is the infrastructure already in place which allowed us to hit the ground running from day one of the operation.”
Wing Commander Stuart Campbell, 617’s Commanding Officer, said the month in Iceland - coupled with the extensive preparations for the deployment – had added a feather to the F-35B’s already impressive cap.
“Completing Operation Masterer has been critical in re-validating our ability to deploy to and operate for an overseas land base. The flexible capability of F-35B allows us to hold constant readiness to fly and fight from land or sea.
“I’m very proud of 617 Squadron in completing our first NATO Air Policing mission. Unlocking another capability for UK F-35B, the Dambusters have once again led from the front.
“Our Icelandic hosts have been incredibly supportive, providing everything required of them – and more – in order for us to complete our NATO mission. This is a great demonstration of the long-standing relationship between the UK and Iceland.”
Once back in the UK, the Dambusters will prepare for getting their sea legs back as the squadron prepares to join HMS Prince of Wales as the Portsmouth-based carrier gears up for her maiden deployment leading a task group east of Suez in 2025.