LONDON, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- A pair of fighter pilots have become the first in the British military to fly the new F-35 Lightning warplanes straight from training, according to the Ministry of Defense (MOD) on Thursday.
The two flight lieutenants, one from the Royal Air Force and the other from the Royal Navy made their solo flight straight from flying training in a Hawk to fly the multi-role combat aircraft, according to the MOD.
Speaking after his flight, one of pilots said: "It was a sensational experience and, as the culmination of many years training, was certainly the highlight of my time in the RAF so far. I was astonished at the jet's performance and at how well the simulator had prepared me for taking the Lightning flying.
"Much of the first flight is about exploring the aircraft's performance envelope and breaking the sound barrier was a particular highlight. It is easy to see why every pilot here loves flying the aircraft and I am eager to press on and get stuck in to operating the Lightning and exploring its potential."
The second pilot described flying the Lightning warplane for the first time as "almost indescribable."
"The computer systems, helmet display, and sensors are at the cutting edge of what is currently possible and I'm extremely excited to work on exploiting this potential as well as being part of its integration with HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales over the coming years," he said.
Air Commodore Linc Taylor, senior responsible for the UK's Lightning Program, said: "For any military pilot the first time you fly a front-line aircraft is something you never forget, but to be the first to progress straight from training to fly F-35 is something to be especially proud of."
The training of British Lightning pilots is currently undertaken at the Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina as part of plans to form the first operational UK squadron, No. 617 Squadron (the 'Dambusters') in 2018.
The F-35 Lightning is an advanced, next generation aircraft procured to operate alongside the RAF Typhoon jets. It will form an integral part of Carrier Strike operating from the Britain's biggest ever warships, the Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers.
F-35 Lightning jets are multi-role combat aircraft, meaning that a single aircraft can conduct the roles and missions of different aircraft types simultaneously. These include air-air operations, air-to-surface operations and intelligence gathering.
"With advanced sensors, mission sensors and low-observable (stealth) the F-35 is a next generation air system which will provide the UK with world beating combat air capability," said an MOD spokesman.
