Royal Air Force F-35B Lightning II jets achieved their first combat kills by downing Iranian one-way attack drones over Jordanian airspace. The UK Ministry of Defence confirmed the interceptions occurred alongside RAF Typhoon fighters and a Voyager tanker during a patrol on March 3, 2026.
The engagements marked the initial operational destruction of targets by RAF F-35Bs amid a surge in Iranian drone and missile launches across the Middle East. US Central Command head Adm. Brad Cooper reported Iran had fired over 2,000 drones and 500 ballistic missiles at regional targets by that date, following US and Israeli strikes.
The F-35B, a fifth-generation stealth fighter with short takeoff and vertical landing capability, operates at Mach 1.6 speeds, carries a 15,000 lb weapons payload, and features advanced sensors for threat detection. Its internal weapons bay and radar-absorbing materials enable low-observable missions from austere bases or ships.
The Ministry released footage showing an F-35B firing an ASRAAM missile at a drone. Six F-35Bs surged to RAF Akrotiri on Cyprus after a drone struck the base’s runway. Prime Minister Keir Starmer ordered HMS Dragon, a Type 45 destroyer, and Wildcat helicopters with counter-drone systems to bolster defenses.
British forces also downed drones in Iraqi airspace targeting US positions and a Typhoon from the UK-Qatar 12 Squadron intercepted one aimed at Qatar. France and Greece pledged anti-drone and anti-missile systems to support regional air defenses.