Chief Technician David Briggs (RAF) was named a Member of the Order of the British Empire for his work with the F-35 program. King George V established the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire on June 4, 1917, to recognize individuals who perform extraordinary duty. (US Navy Photo)
British F-35 maintainer receives prestigious honor
NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, PATUXENT RIVER, Md. — A member of the Royal Air Force assigned to Naval Air Station (NAS) Patuxent River was recently appointed as a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE).
At a May 21 ceremony at Buckingham Palace, Queen Elizabeth II presented Chief Technician David Briggs, a member of the F-35 Integrated Test Force here, with the medal recognizing his achievement supporting the F-35 testing on behalf of the United Kingdom.
King George V established the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire on June 4, 1917, to recognize individuals who perform extraordinary duty.
Briggs started working with the F-35B and F-35C in 2008.
The F-35B is the variant of the Lightning II designed for use by the U.S. Marine Corps, as well as F-35 international partners in the United Kingdom and Italy. The F-35B is capable of short takeoffs and vertical landings to enable air power projection from amphibious ships, ski-jump aircraft carriers and expeditionary airfields. The F-35B is undergoing flight test and evaluation at NAS Patuxent River, Md., and Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., aircrew training at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., and deployed to the first operational squadron at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz.
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