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Newly released photos show the United States and its NATO and Indo-Pacific allies staging a show of force in the Western Pacific with advanced F-35 stealth aircraft and their carriers. As part of the drill, U.S. and British F-35B fighter jets conducted flight operations from the Japanese aircraft carrier JS Kaga, which has not yet been equipped with its own F-35B jets.
China’s Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a written request for comment.
### Why It Matters
The allied F-35 carrier war game comes after China—which operates the largest navy in the world by hull count—deployed two aircraft carriers on the eastern side of a U.S. defensive island chain formed by Japan, Taiwan, and the Philippines in the Western Pacific. This deployment prompted increased coast guard patrols near the disputed Senkaku Islands (also known as Diaoyu Islands) and continued threats toward neighboring Taiwan.
Japan has cooperated more closely with its defense treaty partner, the United States, due to China’s increasing military activities in the region.
### What To Know
The F-35 is a family of fighter aircraft operated by U.S. and allied forces. It comes in three variants: B (short takeoff and vertical landing from ships without full-length flight decks), C (aircraft-carrier operations), and A (designed for conventional runways).
Photos released by the United Kingdom Carrier Strike Group show that British forces had their first F-35B jet land on JS Kaga. This is one of two helicopter carriers being converted into aircraft carriers amid China’s threat to Japan’s outlying islands.
The multinational naval exercise featured the U.S. aircraft carrier USS George Washington, the amphibious assault ship USS America, and the British aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, which is deployed on an eight-month mission in the Pacific.
Both the America and the Prince of Wales are equipped with F-35B jets, while the George Washington operates F-35C jets. The remaining F-35 variant is the A model, also known as the “air force variant.”
In another photo released by the U.K. Carrier Strike Group on Sunday, a group of carrier-based aircraft was seen flying over a fleet of warships in the northern Philippine Sea.
Japan’s Defense Ministry confirmed the flight operations, stating that the training strengthened coordination with allied and partner navies. The first F-35B jets designed for operations from Japanese aircraft carriers were delivered to Japan on August 7.
Following the war game, the Prince of Wales and two warships—a British destroyer and a Norwegian frigate—arrived at Yokosuka Naval Base in Japan, near Tokyo, on Tuesday. Photos shared by a local photographer show multiple F-35B jets staged on the flight deck.
Japan’s Defense Ministry said the port call demonstrated the commitment of the U.K. and Norway to contributing to peace and stability, with the aim of realizing the “Free and Open Indo-Pacific.” As uncertainty surrounding Japan’s security environment grows, China is described as “an unprecedented and the greatest strategic challenge” in Japan’s recently released defense white paper.
The British aircraft carrier is scheduled to make a six-day visit to Tokyo from August 28 and depart Japan on September 2. The warship previously visited Singapore in late June and Darwin in Australia’s Northern Territory in late July.
Japan’s Defense Ministry stated, “The Ministry of Defense and the Self-Defense Forces will continue to actively contribute to regional peace and stability by working together with like-minded countries such as the United Kingdom and Norway, who share fundamental values and strategic interests.”
The Royal Navy announced, “Between now and December, the Carrier Strike Group will conduct a series of exercises and operations with air, sea, and land forces of a dozen allies in the Mediterranean, Middle East, Southeast Asia, Japan, and Australia.”
