Photo By Cpl. Jonah Lovy | Air Commodore Harvey Smyth, left, meets with Lt. Cmdr. Beth Kitchen during a tour of...... read more read more
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BEAUFORT, S.C. - Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort hosted officers from the United Kingdom’s F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter program, June 16. The officers toured the facilities aboard Fightertown in order to increase cooperation and further their own F-35 program.
The U.K. has been integrated into Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501 since February 2015, when the Royal Air Force flew three Joint Strike Fighters to Fightertown. Currently, there are 14 U.K. service members at VMFAT-501. Six distinguished guests visited MCAS Beaufort which included Air Commodore Harvey Smyth, the lightning force commander for the U.K. F-35 program; Group Capt. Paul Godfrey, the current group captain lightning for the U.K. F-35 program; and Group Capt. Ian Townsend, the incoming group captain lightning for the U.K. F-35 program.
Smyth, as the Lightning Force Commander, is responsible for the entire F-35 program in the Royal Air Force. Godfrey is the current Group Captain Lightning, a position that is responsible for U.K. F-35 operations aboard MCAS Beaufort. His replacement, Group Capt. Ian Townsend is touring MCAS Beaufort for the first time to familiarize himself with the program.
“The benefit of this tour is being able to sit down with senior leadership here and see what they think about the integration of British pilots and maintainers into VMFAT-501,” said Godfrey.
The visit included a tour of the Pilot Training Center aboard the Air Station. Fightertown’s PTC is the largest F-35 training center in the world where pilots from around the globe enhance their skills. The U.K. is currently building their own.
The British guests also toured VMFAT-501 and saw the integrated program up-close.
The F-35 program is growing every day and is the future of military aviation for countries around the world.
“Without the Marines, the F-35 program would not be where it is today,” said Godfrey.
| Date Taken: | 06.16.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 06.19.2015 11:17 |
| Story ID: | 167302 |
| Location: | BEAUFORT, SC, US |
| Web Views: | 107 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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