F-35 stealth jets land on Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth in historic moment for Britain

Two squadrons of F-35B stealth jets, the RAF’s 617 Squadron and the US Marines Corps VMFA-211, have joined the 65,000-tonne carrier as she sails for exercises with allies in the North Sea.

With a total of 14 jets and eight Merlin helicopters, it’s the largest concentration of fighter jets to operate at sea from a Royal Navy carrier since HMS Hermes in 1983, and the largest air group of fifth generation fighters at sea anywhere in the world.

In this month’s group exercise, HMS Queen Elizabeth will be joined by seven Royal Navy destroyers, frigates and auxiliaries, plus other supporting units, to form a fully sovereign carrier strike group, ready to fight on the surface and in the air.

The task force will be put through its paces off the north east coast of Scotland as part of Joint Warrior, Nato’s largest annual exercise.

Commodore Steve Moorhouse, who heads the UK’s carrier strike group, said: ‘The United Kingdom’s maritime renaissance has been unfolding over many years, as we introduced a new generation of ships, submarines and aircraft into service. But this marks the first time we have brought them together in a cohesive, potent, fighting force.

‘HMS Queen Elizabeth will be operating with the largest air group of fifth generation fighters assembled anywhere in the world. Led by the Royal Navy, and backed by our closest allies, this new carrier strike group puts real muscle back into Nato and sends a clear signal that the United Kingdom takes its global role seriously.’

Commander Mark Sparrow, commanding officer of 617 Squadron, added: ‘This is an incredibly exciting time for 617 Squadron as we begin a new era of partnership with the US Marine Corps building towards next year’s operational deployment with HMS Queen Elizabeth.

‘You need to go back more than three decades to find the UK operating anything on this scale or complexity and this is a first for fifth-generation carrier capability. The era of big-deck, fast-jet carrier operations is back.’

Usually based in Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, in Arizona, VMFA-211 arrived in the UK just under two weeks ago. Landing at the home of the Lightning Force, RAF Marham after the trans-Atlantic flight, they worked up with 617 Squadron conducting the RAF led Exercise Point Blank before embarking in the carrier.

SEE ALSO: No fines or arrests after Portsmouth police break up Southsea house party

Their commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Freshour, said: ‘The Wake Island Avengers are ready in all respects to work with the British sailors and aircrew on board HMS Queen Elizabeth.

‘We are looking forward to deploying alongside our British counterparts over the next few months, and we will work tirelessly as a part of this transatlantic naval force. We are proud to play such an important role in the generation of an allies’ carrier strike capability.’

Captain James Blackmore, the UK’s carrier air wing commander, added: 'We are going to learn a huge amount from operating F-35Bs at sea with the USMC, they have had them longer and we can share ideas and practices.

‘But this is much more than that; this is the trans-Atlantic alliance in action, demonstrating that two close allies can not only fly from each other’s carriers, but can fight alongside each other should we need to. This level of integration offers a decisive flexibility in times of crisis, conflict or war.’

HMS Queen Elizabeth, along with her 1,680 sailors, aviators and marines, is due to return to her home port of Portsmouth next month.

She will deploy on her maiden mission in early 2021.

Looking for the latest Royal Navy updates from Portsmouth? Join our new Royal Navy news Facebook group to keep up to date.

HAVE YOUR SAY: How has life in the Portsmouth area changed since lockdown? Have your say anonymously in our six-minute survey

---

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

Thank you for reading this story. The dramatic events of 2020 are having a major impact on our advertisers and thus our revenues.

The News is more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription to support our journalism.

You can subscribe here for unlimited access to Portsmouth news and information online.

Every subscription helps us continue providing trusted, local journalism and campaign on your behalf for our city.