Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what pans he has to upgrade the (a) RAF and (b) Fleet Air Arm F-35Bs with the (i) General Electric XA100 or (ii) Pratt & Whitney XA101 engine.

These engines will only be suitable for the F-35A and C variant and will not be compatible with the F-35B. An upgrade path for future F-35B propulsion upgrades is under development by the Joint Program Office. The UK Lightning fleet will continue to be upgraded as appropriate, throughout its service life, through the Follow on Modernisation programme.

UK F-35B Lightning aircraft are operated under a single Force Headquarters, with all units jointly manned by both Royal Air Force and Royal Navy personnel. Air system capability development is overseen by an Air Command Capability team which again is jointly manned.