For the First Time Since WWII, U.S. Fighters Flew Strikes From a British Carrier
U.S. Marine Corps F-35B fighters have flown missions striking ISIS targets in the Middle East.
The fighters are flying from the Royal Navy carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth.
This marks the first time since 1943 that American aircraft have operated from a British carrier.
U.S. Marine fighter jets have struck Islamic State (ISIS) targets in the Middle East while flying from an unlikely location: the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth.
The Marine fighters are embarked upon the carrier for a unique cruise with an air wing consisting of F-35Bs from both the U.S. and U.K. The fighters are now conducting air strikes against ISIS targets in the first use of American air power from a British ship since 1943.
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The fighters, from U.S. Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 211 (VMFA 211), took off from the Queen Elizabeth and hit ISIS targets alongside planes from Royal Air Force 617 Squadron, the famous “Dambusters” of World War II. The joint combat operations began on June 18, according to U.S. Naval Institute News.
The Queen Elizabeth is sailing with 18 F-35Bs in all, including 10 American fighters and 8 British planes.
The Marine Corps F-35Bs typically fly from U.S. Navy amphibious assault ships. Launching from Queen Elizabeth is a little different for the Marines, who are used to taking off from a flat flight deck. The British carrier includes a 12.5-degree angled, bow-mounted ski ramp. To take off, aircraft get a rolling start on the ship’s flight deck and then launch themselves from the ski ramp. This allows embarked aircraft to carry a larger payload without the complications of operating a steam or electromagnetically powered catapult.
The historic mission is only the second time in 78 years that U.S. aircraft have operated from a Royal Navy carrier. The last time it took place was in 1942, when the Royal Navy lent HMS Victorious to the U.S. Navy to cover a flat-top shortfall after the Battle of the Coral Sea and the Battle of Midway. The Victorious operated Wildcat fighters until mid-1943, when she returned to Royal Navy control.
This cruise is the maiden cruise for the Queen Elizabeth, which will travel as far as Japan, Australia, and New Zealand as a show of British seapower. In addition to the fighters of VMFA-211, the U.S. Navy destroyer USS The Sullivans also serves with the Queen Elizabeth Carrier Strike Group.
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