His Majesty The King visits RAF Marham as UK’s F-35B Lightning Force marks expanding operational role
His Majesty King Charles III visited RAF Marham this week in His role as the station’s Honorary Air Commodore, meeting the servicemen and women behind the United Kingdom’s F-35B Lightning Force as the Norfolk airbase continues to support carrier strike operations, overseas deployments and the UK’s fifth-generation combat air capability.
The visit, His Majesty’s first since becoming Honorary Air Commodore in September 2023, reflected RAF Marham’s importance as the home of the UK’s F-35B fleet and recognised the personnel who have supported recent operational deployments in Europe, the Middle East and at sea.
After arriving at the station, The King was welcomed by service personnel and their families before formally opening one of RAF Marham’s new Junior Ranks barrack blocks.
He toured the new single living accommodation and met personnel based at the station before moving to the operational element of the visit.
The King meets personnel supporting the UK’s latest operational deployments
Inside one of RAF Marham’s aircraft hangars, His Majesty viewed an F-35B Lightning and met pilots, engineers and support personnel from across the station.
Displays highlighted RAF Marham’s operational achievements over the past year, including the Lightning Force’s contribution to Operation HIGHMAST aboard HMS Prince of Wales, support to defensive missions over the Middle East, and the station’s BeReady campaign, which aims to strengthen operational readiness across the base.
The King also met members of the Community Support and Sustainment teams before spending time with families whose relatives had recently returned from operational deployments.
Among those recognised during the visit were personnel involved in protecting British sovereign bases in Cyprus during the recent conflict involving Iran, together with aviators who deployed aboard HMS Prince of Wales during Operation HIGHMAST.
The visit came shortly after elements of the Lightning Force returned from further carrier operations in the North Atlantic.
His Majesty was later presented with a jar of RAF Marham’s “Buzz Lightning” honey, produced by beehives maintained on the station as part of its environmental sustainability programme.
Throughout the visit, The King was accompanied by the Lord-Lieutenant of Norfolk, Lady Dannatt MBE. Following His Majesty’s departure, Lady Dannatt visited the station’s Community Hub and Sandringham Centre, where she met staff and families involved in supporting service personnel and their dependants.
RAF Marham is the operational centre of Britain’s F-35B Lightning Force
RAF Marham is the United Kingdom’s principal operating base for the F-35B Lightning and the headquarters of the UK’s Lightning Force.
More than 3,600 service personnel, civil servants and contractors work at the Norfolk station, supporting frontline flying operations, engineering, maintenance and logistics.
The F-35B is jointly operated by the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy, allowing the aircraft to deploy from RAF Marham or embark aboard the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers. That flexibility forms the backbone of the UK’s carrier strike capability, enabling combat air operations from both land bases and the sea.
The station is home to 617 Squadron, 207 Squadron, 809 Naval Air Squadron, Lightning Force Headquarters and specialist support units responsible for generating and sustaining frontline capability.
More than a century of service has shaped one of the RAF’s most important air stations
RAF Marham first opened in 1916 to defend Norfolk against Zeppelin attacks during the First World War before evolving into one of the Royal Air Force’s principal strike bases. It later operated Wellington bombers, Mosquitos, Victor tankers and Tornado aircraft, with Marham-based squadrons supporting operations from the Gulf War to Libya.
The station entered a new era when it was selected as the UK’s sole operating base for the F-35B Lightning. Extensive redevelopment prepared the airbase for the arrival of the aircraft in 2018, followed by the establishment of 617 Squadron, 207 Squadron and, later, 809 Naval Air Squadron as the UK’s second frontline F-35B unit.
Today, RAF Marham supports every stage of the UK’s Lightning enterprise, from pilot training and aircraft engineering to operational deployments with the Royal Navy’s Carrier Strike Group. Its role has expanded further in recent years as the F-35B has become central to Britain’s expeditionary air power and NATO commitments.
RAF Marham Station Commander Group Captain Leonie Boyd said: “It was a real honour to welcome His Majesty to RAF Marham, giving him the chance to meet the personnel and families whose hard work and dedication have defined the past year, from achievements on Exercises and Operations to successes across the station and numerous engagement events with the local community. With the station celebrating its 110th anniversary, this visit felt particularly special, reflecting RAF Marham’s long and proud connection with the Royal Family throughout its history.”
As RAF Marham marks its 110th anniversary, His Majesty’s visit recognised not only the station’s longstanding links with the Royal Family but also its continuing role at the forefront of the UK’s combat air capability, supporting operations at home, at sea and overseas.
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