Lightnings launch from UK waters for first time

British F-35B fighter jets, otherwise known as Lightnings, have launched from UK waters for the first time.

The state-of-the-art new planes took off from the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth in Portsmouth, where waiting crowds cheered as they saw the successful launch from the ski ramp-like flight deck.

F-35B aircraft have already been tested off the coast of the US, with maiden flight trials conducted from HMS Queen Elizabeth earlier this year.

This was part of a wider mission to ensure the Lightnings are compatible with the ship and that they can work well together in their future defence career.

With a top speed of 1,200mph, the Lightning is the first jet to combine radar-evading stealth technology, supersonic capabilities and the ability to land vertically.

It is to be deployed in a range of future missions - including intelligence gathering, air-to-surface and electronic warfare - alongside its sister plane the Typhoon.