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🇬🇧🇺🇸⚓️relationship goes from strength to strength as the #WESTLANT19 units are honoured to host trailblazing US naval aviator, RAdm Sara Joyner USN, Commander CSG2. As the first woman to command a Naval Fighter Squadron and a Carrier Air Wing, Ma'am, we salute you! @USNavy
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F-35B Lightnings from @USMC have arrived onboard! The jets, from VMX-1 based at MCAS Yuma, are conducting 'fly to' operations for the next two weeks. Their pilots are undergoing CQ, 'Carrier Qualification', before exercising pairs sorties with our own UK Lightnings #WESTLANT19
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There are some great lighting conditions for our @RoyalNavy photographers as we night qualify our F-35 pilots here off the East coast of the USA. Rotary wing flying continues too as we pound the decks around the clock #WESTLANT19 @RoyalAirForce @17SqnRAF @OC617Sqn @CdrBobBond
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Possibly the most photographed man on our deck - Flight Deck Officer (FDO), Lt Cdr Richie Turrell busts more moves launching a @USMC F-35. If you want to ask Richie a deck-related question, please post below. He will answer as many as he can over the coming few days #WESTLANT19
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We suddenly have a lot of people wearing these roaming the decks (mostly looking a bit lost....) what could this possibly mean??? #WESTLANT19 #UKF35 #bigdecksfastjets @OC617Sqn @RAF_Marham @17SqnRAF
⚡️ is forecast.......
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The #WESTLANT19 units are together for the first time! 👋🏼 @HMSNORT joining from @NATO group exercise in 🇨🇦 & goodbye for now @HMSDragon off to train with @TheCVN69 CSG @USNavy. The flexibility of 🇬🇧🇺🇸 individual & combined CSG capabilities proving to be a force multiplier ⚓️
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Here's a sight we will enjoy getting used to; @USMC F-35B engineers, maintainers and other support crew have been dropped onboard by USMC CH-53 Sea Stallion. They will soon bring out their own Lightnings for flying trials alongside UK jets #WESTLANT19 @RoyalNavy @RoyalAirForce
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📷 Now it’s Leading Phot Kyle Heller’s turn to choose his favourite 4 shots. It’s not easy to pick from so many great images! Which of these is your favourite? #WESTLANT19
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We are currently off beautiful Weymouth Bay, onloading family under the PACAS scheme - Parents & Children at Sea. This gives our loved ones the unique chance to sail into port with us tomorrow #WESTLANT19 #itsafamilyaffair
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The operational test tempo continues to build here at #WESTLANT19 as we launch and recover pairs of UK Lightnings, within seconds of each other. This enables us to generate sorties at a much faster rate. @RoyalNavy @RoyalAirForce @17SqnRAF @OC617Sqn @RAF_Marham #FlyNavy #UKF35
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You've seen him by day, now you can see him by night as he ramps up his moves with glow sticks! Flight Deck Officer, Lt Cdr Richie Turrell keeps it safe on the deck as we night qualify our #UKF35 pilots #WESTLANT19 @RoyalNavy @RoyalAirForce @17SqnRAF @OC617Sqn
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Enjoy this fantastic shot by Leading Photographer Kyle Heller, Royal Navy #WESTLANT19 @RoyalNavy @RoyalAirForce @OC617Sqn @17SqnRAF #QNLZatSea #UKF35
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Few can lay claim to having an 'office' as cool as the one this @RoyalNavy F-35 pilot is snapped walking away from here today. Kudos too though to the hundreds of engineers, mechanics and scientists we have onboard, who keep these tremendous aircraft flying #FlyNavy #WESTLANT19
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We are afloat again!
Our dry docking period has been successfully completed on time, and we will shortly return to Sea for training in preparation for #WESTLANT19 🇺🇸
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I spy with my little eye, a 🐉 #breathingfire into #WESTLANT19! Welcome to the Strike Group @HMSDragon 🇬🇧 🇺🇸
@HMSNORT @RFATideforce @CdrBobBond @RNASCuldrose @RNASYeovilton @42_commando
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📷 Air defence throughout #WESTLANT19 has been provided by the mighty @HMSDragon 🐲. The #Type45destroyer has been #breathingfire exercising with a number of @USNavy ships, as well as acting as our escort.
