On September 6, the Japan Air Self-Defense Force confirmed that its F-15J and F-35A fighters took part in exercises with the F-35Bs from the British aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, which was sailing in the Sea of Japan as part of the UK Carrier Strike Group’s (CSG25) Operation Highmast deployment. The bilateral drills took place just days after both forces had conducted joint activities with Mitsubishi F-2 aircraft and the mentioned stealth fighters, while the Royal Navy’s flagship was en route to Tokyo for an official visit.
Expanding on the details, Japan’s Ministry of Defense stated that a total of eight F-15Js participated, complemented by four F-35As. On the British side, the exercise featured four F-35Bs from the Royal Navy, with Royal Air Force personnel also involved in coordination and support tasks. According to the official statement from Japan’s defense ministry, the goal was to strengthen tactical collaboration with their UK counterparts, building on the growing ties between the two nations.
It is worth recalling that it was recently announced that, for the first time in history, Japan would deploy a group of F-15J fighters and support aircraft to British territory, marking another step in bilateral cooperation. This decision was revealed on August 28, at the same time HMS Prince of Wales was docked in Tokyo, serving as the venue for a high-level meeting between UK Defense Secretary John Healey and his Japanese counterpart Nakatani Gen.
Furthermore, both countries share a strong partnership within the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), which aims to develop a next-generation sixth-generation fighter to equip the armed forces of both nations, as well as Italy. To that end, the joint company Edgewing has already been established with the participation of the three partners: the UK’s BAE Systems, Italy’s Leonardo, and Japan’s Japan Aircraft Industrial Enhancement Co. The current target is to achieve the first prototype flight by 2027.
Image credits: @JASDF_PAO_ENG on X
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