Royal Navy announced the completion of the F-35B Lightning II trials on-board HMS Queen Elizabeth (R 08).

With the completion of the trials, an important milestone was left behind for the B model F-35 aircraft and the Royal Navy. In the development testing-2 (DT-2) phase, pilots, ship-based maintenance personnel and ground support personnel gained significant experience about the fifth-generation aircraft operation. 85 sorties were conducted during the tests. In this process, aircrafts made 202 take-offs, 187 vertical landings and 15 SRVLs during a 75-hour flight. Aircrafts made armed flights and dropped 54 GBU-12 Paveway II munitions.