US fighter jets take off from foreign carrier for first time since WWII

Published: JUNE 26, 2021 20:38

Updated: JUNE 26, 2021 20:39

F-35 fighter jets (photo credit: STAFF SGT. CHRIS DRZAZGOWSKI/U.S. AIR FORCE) — F-35 fighter jets

(photo credit: STAFF SGT. CHRIS DRZAZGOWSKI/U.S. AIR FORCE)

The last time US aircraft had flown combat missions from a British foreign aircraft carrier was during a campaign in the South Pacific in 1943, stationed aboard the HMS Victorious.

US F-35B fighter jets flew combat missions over the Middle East striking ISIS targets across the region earlier this week after taking off from a British aircraft carrier, marking the first time the US military has done so since the Allies teamed up in World War II.

The stealth jets from the 617 Squadron RAF (The Dambusters) within the UK's Carrier Strike Group 21 are flying missions alongside US Marine Corps warplanes as part of the UK's Operation Shaders and US Operation Inherent Resolve - focused on targeting ISIS targets and strongholds across the Middle East.

The international duo is expected to visit at least 40 countries aboard the new HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier - the Royal Navy's largest ship (65,000 tons) in its fleet, embarking on its first operational deployment - during its seven-month mission, passing through the Mediterranean, the Indian Ocean and the waters of the Pacific Ocean surrounding Japan and South Korea.

Onboard, there are 18 UK and US F35B jets, which is the largest number to ever be deployed on a single ship, nevertheless as part of an international force, according to a statement by the UK Defense Ministry. "The aircraft are next generation multi-role combat aircraft equipped with advanced sensors, mission systems and stealth technology," the Ministry said. The jets can land from a vertical position, which allow them to operate from smaller aircraft carriers.

"The ability to operate from the sea with the most advanced fighter jets ever created is a significant moment in our history," said UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace. "The Carrier Strike Group is... a show of international military strength that will deter anyone who seeks to undermine global security."

The last time US aircraft had flown combat missions from a British foreign aircraft carrier was during a campaign in the South Pacific in 1943, stationed aboard the HMS Victorious in the heat of World War II.

It is also the first time the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force have flown a maritime strike operation since participating in a NATO-led campaign in Libya during its civil war about a decade ago.

"HMS Queen Elizabeth’s first missions against Daesh (ISIS) will be remembered as a significant moment in the 50-year lifespan of this ship," said Commodore Steve Moorehouse, Commander of the UK Carrier Strike Group. "It also marks a new phase of our current deployment.

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"To date, we have delivered diplomatic influence on behalf of the UK through a series of exercises and engagements with our partners - now we are ready to deliver the hard punch of maritime-based air power against a shared enemy."

"The involvement of HMS Queen Elizabeth and her Air Wing in this campaign also sends a wider message," Moorhouse concluded. "It demonstrates the speed and agility with which a UK-led Carrier Strike Group can inject fifth generation combat power into any operation, anywhere in the world, thereby offering the British Government, and our allies, true military and political choice."