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3w ago

US, UK and Japan Complete F-35B Carrier Drills as Prince of Wales Arrives in Yokosuka

The Yokosuka visit brings to a close nine days of Philippine Sea drills focused on carrier-based F-35B interoperability across three navies

UK F-35B landing and taking off from JMSDF JS Kaga for the first time. Credit: Royal Navy.
UK F-35 lands on JS Kaga
In this photo provided on August 12, 2025, an F-35B fighter jet takes off from the Japanese aircraft carrier JS Kaga in the northern Philippine Sea, while the British aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales sails nearby in the background.
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Overview

  • Japan has begun flying its first F-35B jets from Nyutabaru Air Base, with three of the initial four delivered aircraft flown by US pilots under Foreign Military Sales protocols.
  • US, British and Japanese F-35B squadrons conducted integrated flight operations in the Northern Philippine Sea, including air defence drills and maritime strike serials.
  • A British F-35B Lightning II landed on JS Kaga, marking the first time a UK jet has operated from a Japanese warship.
  • HMS Prince of Wales and its escort vessels entered Yokosuka Naval Base for a three-week port call following the conclusion of Operation Highmast carrier exercises.
  • Communities near Nyutabaru have raised noise concerns over vertical landing training, and Chinese analysts have criticized the deployments as shifting Japan’s defensive posture.