F35 QEC Carrier Integration in the UK

Published
2025-09-17T14:06:28.446+02:00 25 April 2025
Business Air
The Queen Elizabeth Class (QEC) carrier will be the new home for the UK's F-35B aircraft, delivering an uncompromising carrier strike capability anywhere in the world.
F-35 simulation facility at BAE Systems' Warton site

A perfect match 

Behind the scenes, before either aircraft or ships are built, our engineers are using the very latest in simulation technology to make sure that when the two meet, it’s a seamless match.

Having a synthetic training device is paramount because it means you can practice all those things and contingency yourself to death. When it happens out there on the carrier, where you don’t have a reset button, you can say to yourself ‘I’ve been here before.
US Navy Landing Signals Officer Robert Wedertz “Weeds”
F-35 simulation facility at BAE Systems' Warton site

Practice makes perfect

Landing fixed wing aircraft on aircraft carriers could be revolutionised thanks to a recent piloted flight simulation trial.  The trial saw UK and US partners on the F-35 programme use our world class F35 Simulation facility at Warton to test new concepts for landing.

How it works

We play a leading role integrating F-35B with the Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers for the UK.