For the first time, a British F-35B Lightning II landed on the Japanese JS Kaga during joint training as part of CSG25.
British and U.S. F-35Bs landed on the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s (JMSDF) JS Kaga helicopter-carrying destroyer. Although U.S. Marine Corps’ F-35Bs already landed on the Kaga during testing, this is the first time for a British one.
The milestone comes as the Royal Navy and JMSDF are conducting joint maneuvers to practice combined F-35 operations with the HMS Prince of Wales and the JS Kaga. The two ships linked up the British carrier wrapped up its participation in Exercise Talisman Sabre 25.
Details have not yet been released, with only few photos posted online by the Royal Navy. At least two jets were involved, with photos showing a USMC F-35B followed shortly later by a RAF F-35B while the former was already on deck.
There’s a first for everything…
The 1st 🇬🇧 F-35B jet lands on a Japanese ship. #OpHighmast #CSG25 pic.twitter.com/87Y0vICdu8
— UK Carrier Strike Group (@COMUKCSG) August 9, 2025
Joint F-35B operations
The HMS Prince of Wales is currently sailing on the Carrier Strike Group 25 (CSG25) deployment, designated Operation Highmast, which also saw it hosting F-35Bs from the U.S. Marine Corps’ Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 242 “Bats” (VMFA-242). On Jul. 29, 2025, the Royal Navy announced its carrier would link up with the JS Kaga.
The British and Japanese navies have been cooperating for quite some time to prepare for the F-35B operations on the Izumo-class vessels. JMSDF officials previously visited the HMS Prince of Wales in November 2023 to study the F-35B’s operations during the UK’s Development Test 3 on the carrier.
EX with HMS Prince of Wales (@HMSPWLS) and #CSG25 is now underway!!!!
A historic week of multinational cooperation begins—strengthening security and interoperability across the Indo-Pacific.#CSG25 #AlliesAndPartners #Interoperability pic.twitter.com/U4owSu1ejN
— 防衛省 海上自衛隊 (@JMSDF_PAO) August 7, 2025
Later on, JMSDF officials visited the Italian Navy’s ITS Cavour aircraft carrier in August 2024 again to study F-35B operations, when the warship was at Yokosuka Naval Base during its Indo-Pacific campaign. The trilateral Italian, British and Japanese cooperation is even more important now that all three countries will be employing both the F-35A and F-35B, while also cooperating on the GCAP program.
International relations in action 🤝
UK 🇬🇧 and US 🇺🇸 F-35Bs land on the JS KAGA 🇯🇵.#CSG25 #StrongerTogether pic.twitter.com/5SMw0hF50h
— UK Carrier Strike Group (@COMUKCSG) August 9, 2025
The F-35B in Japanese service
The Japan Air Self Defense Force Article (JASDF) recently received its first three F-35Bs out of 42 on order. These aircraft will in future operate Japanese ships, with the Izumo set to start F-35B operations in 2027, while the Kaga will induct it into service a year later, in 2028.
The two aircraft carriers, which are locally designated as DDHs (Helicopter-carrying Destroyers), are currently undergoing conversion to allow F-35B operations. The works started in 2022 and will see, among all modifications, a new rectangular flight deck replacing the original trapezoidal one.
The F-35B has undergone tests with Japanese vessels twice, with the Izumo conducting flight ops in 2021, while the Kaga just recently had a F-35B land on its deck. Both of these tests were conducted with non-Japanese jets and pilots.
Japan decided in 2018 to procure 42 F-35Bs in order to strengthen its capabilities and operate from its two aircraft carriers, small airstrips and remote islands. The plan was formally approved in Japan’s 2019–2023 Mid-Term Defense Program, and the procurement approved by the United States in 2020.
With 147 aircraft in service, Japan would become the second-largest operator of the F-35 after the United States. Japan also hosts in Nagoya one of three final assembly and check-out (FACO) facilities for the F-35 Lightning II program.
However, Japan’s F-35Bs will be produced in the U.S. at Lockheed Martin’s production facility in Fort Worth, Texas. The FACO facility continues to perform the final assembly and check-out of F-35A aircraft to be delivered to the JASDF, as well as Maintenance, Repair, Overhaul and Upgrade (MRO&U) activities for the North Asia region.
Japan plans to station the first batch of F-35Bs at Nyutabaru Air Base, which is located in the southern part of the island of Kyushu, due to the its close proximity to the home port of the JS Kaga in JMSDF (Japan Maritime Self Defense Force) Kure, in Hiroshima prefecture. A temporary squadron has been established in preparation for the induction of the F-35B at Nyutabaru.
An airbase is being built specifically for the F-35B’s vertical landings on the uninhabited island of Mageshima, 160 kilometers (100 miles) south of Nyutabaru, but it is expected to be ready by 2030. In the meanwhile, the aircraft will stay and train at Nyutabaru.
