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Joint Combat Aircraft
F-35 aircraft in UK service / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Joint Combat Aircraft (JCA) is the official designation of the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence used for the F-35 Lightning II. The F-35, developed from the X-35, is the result of the Joint Strike Fighter program.
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JCA has been closely aligned with the "Future Carrier" (CVF) programme due to the interdependencies between the two; the latter developed into the Queen Elizabeth class. Both the F-35s and the carriers are the main elements of "Carrier Strike", the term for an initial capability for both elements along with the Merlin Crowsnest airborne radar system.[1] The next steps is the introduction of the second carrier and a second squadron of F-35Bs to allow the carriers to operate the full range of intended roles; this capability, "Carrier Enabled Power Projection" is expected in 2026.[1]