English Electric Lightning

摘要

Whilst the Lightning programme escaped cancellation following the 1957 Defence White Paper, the expectation that manned fighters would give way to missiles made sure that the F.23/49 fighter would be regarded as an interim aircraft. Advanced long-range English Electric Lightning versions were cancelled and a small nine-squadron force was established, eventually consisting of five home-based Lightning squadrons, two in Germany, one in Cyprus and one in the Far East.