Air Commodore Harvey Smyth, left, shakes hands with Squadron Leader Hugh Nichols during a tour of Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501, June 16. There are currently 14 U.K. pilots and maintainers with VMFAT-501 aboard Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort. Smyth is the lightning force commander, responsible for the F-35 program in the Royal Air Force. Nichols is the UK senior national representative for United Kingdom Royal Air Force pilots assigned to VMFAT-501, Marine Aircraft Group 31.