British Royal Air Force F-35 stealth fighter jets just scored their first-ever combat kill

• The British government says British F-35 fighter jets shot down a drone over Jordan in the past 24 hours.

• This marked the first time an RAF F-35 had destroyed an enemy target in action.

• The Middle East has been plunged into an air defense frenzy as Iran launches wave after wave of missiles and drones.

A British F-35 fighter jet shot down a drone over Jordan, the Ministry of Defense said on Tuesday, the first time the Royal Air Force’s stealth fighter has destroyed a target in combat.

British troops have shot down multiple drones in the Middle East in the past 24 hours, while Iran continues to retaliate against countries in the region for attacks by the United States and Israel.

Britain said the interception of a drone over Jordan marked “the first time an RAF F-35 has destroyed a target in action”. The fighters are supported by Typhoon jets and Voyager tankers.

The F-35B jets operated by the UK are designed for air-to-air, air-to-ground and electronic warfare missions. They have short takeoff and vertical landing capabilities, allowing fighters to operate in harsh environments, amphibious assault ships and aircraft carriers.

Britain took delivery of F-35 jets built by US defense giant Lockheed Martin in 2012. The stealth fighters reached initial operational capability status in 2018.

Britain has recently deployed additional defense assets to bases in Cyprus, including F-35 jets, radars, counter-drone systems and ground-based air defense systems, amid rising tensions in the Middle East.

British counter-drone forces also intercepted enemy drones in Iraqi airspace over the past day, and an RAF Typhoon fighter jet shot down an Iranian drone heading to Qatar using an air-to-air missile.

Since the fighting began, Iran has launched hundreds of ballistic and cruise missiles and one-way attack drones at many Middle Eastern countries, including Gulf states and Israel, as well as U.S. military bases in the region. An attack on a U.S. military installation killed at least six service members and injured many more.

British bases were also attacked during this conflict, but the UK did not actively participate in the conflict. A spokesman for the British Ministry of Defense said on Monday that a suspected drone attacked the Royal Air Force Base Akrotiri in Cyprus. There were no casualties, but the incident sparked reactions in London.

On Tuesday, the United Kingdom announced that it was deploying the Type 45 destroyer “Dragon” and “Wildcat” helicopters to the Eastern Mediterranean to strengthen Britain’s missile and drone defenses.

“We are moving quickly to further strengthen our defense presence in the Eastern Mediterranean,” Defense Secretary John Healey said. “HMCS Dragon has world-class air defense capabilities and our Wildcat helicopters are equipped with Martlet missiles to deal with the growing drone threat.”

The Middle East has been locked in an air defense battle since the United States and Israel began attacking Iran on Saturday. Washington and its allies in the region have shot down hundreds of Iranian retaliatory missiles and drones over the past three days.

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