As part of its deployment in the Pacific, fifth-generation F-35B Lightning II fighters from the United States Marine Corps (USMC) have begun integrating into the air wing of the British aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales (R09), within the framework of the multinational exercise Talisman Sabre 2025, which will run until July 27. The deployment, officially confirmed by the Royal Navy, marks a new milestone in embarked air interoperability among allied forces.
The operation takes place under Operation Highmast, one of the United Kingdom’s most significant naval deployments in 2025. The British Carrier Strike Group, led by HMS Prince of Wales, departed Europe at the end of April, making its presence known in the Mediterranean and Middle East during its transit to the Western Pacific, where it is currently participating in the Talisman Sabre 2025 joint exercise alongside military forces from Australia, Japan, South Korea, the United States, and other allied nations.
Notably, the arrival of HMS Prince of Wales at the port of Darwin, Australia, marked a key milestone in the operational consolidation of its embarked air wing. The wing, composed of 18 F-35B fighters—from the 617 Squadron “Dambusters” and the 809 Naval Air Squadron “Immortals”—as well as Merlin helicopters, has now incorporated its first fifth-generation fighter from the USMC’s VMFA-242 squadron.
Following its arrival in the Australian port, elements of the air wing took part in activities supporting amphibious landing exercises in both wet and dry conditions, mine countermeasures, surface warfare, naval gunfire support, and air defense operations alongside the Royal Australian Air Force.
In this context, the incorporation of additional aircraft from the USMC’s VMFA-242 “Bats” squadron is part of a broader scheme of multinational naval-air cooperation aimed at strengthening allied presence in the Indo-Pacific region—an area of increasing tension, largely fueled by growing military activity from China and Russia. As part of the integration phase, on July 8, two F-35Bs from VMFA-242 carried out their first landing, refueling, and takeoff operations from the deck of the British carrier, marking the beginning of their operational deployment.
It’s worth noting that this is the second time F-35Bs from an allied nation have operated from HMS Prince of Wales, following a similar integration in May when Italian aircraft, embarked from the carrier Cavour, joined the ship during the NATO exercise Mediterranean Strike.
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