An F-35 fighter jet of the British Air Force is circling a Russian ship group undergoing exercises in the Mediterranean Sea. The Russian Defense Ministry reported this on Monday, distributing relevant footage.
The footage shows the F-35B, a version of the fighter with short takeoff and vertical landing, which is being bought by Britain.
According to available data, there are 138 aircraft of this type in service of this country, including those based on the aircraft carrier Queen Elizabeth, which is in the Mediterranean Sea now.
F-35 Lightning II is a family of single-seat single-engine supersonic all-weather low-profile multirole fighter-bombers of the fifth generation. The main armament is a four-barreled 25 mm cannon, missiles and bombs on four internal and six external hardpoints. The fighter can be a carrier of nuclear weapons.
Exercises of the Russian Navy began on June 25 in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Five ships of the Russian Navy, including the missile cruiser Moscow, frigates Admiral Essen and Admiral Makarov and two submarines Stary Oskol and Rostov-na-Donu, together with anti-submarine Tu-142MK, Il-38, long-range bombers Tu-22M3 and MiG-31K are taking part in them. The purpose of the exercise is to ensure the security of the Khmeimim airbase and the Tartus naval supply point of the Russian Navy.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Creative Commons
Based on materials from TASS