Britain's Royal Air Force (RAF) and Royal Navy plan to operate US-made F-35B Lightning II aircraft, representing a significant leap in naval airpower.

The F-35B integrates cutting-edge stealth technology with versatile conventional strike capabilities.

In 2024, the United Kingdom reaffirmed its commitment to acquiring a total of 138 F-35Bs, with 48 set to be delivered by the end of 2025.

The F-35B is a fifth-generation, multirole stealth fighter specifically modified to be capable of short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL), making it ideal for operations from aircraft carriers like the HMS Prince of Wales.

Its advanced suite of sensors and avionics enables the execution of air-to-air engagements, air-to-surface strikes, electronic warfare, as well as intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions.

Each F-35B is equipped with the AN/ASQ-239 F-35 EW countermeasure system, which suppresses enemy radar –– even in the most signal-dense environments.

The aircraft can silence adversary communication capabilities and penetrate close to even the most well-defended targets, before launching a payload and quickly relocating.

The F-35B's hallmark versatility enables seamless integration with the RAF's Typhoons, a multirole and agile fighter aircraft, creating a formidable team that enhances the UK's operational flexibility across a variety of missions.

Together, the aircraft offer an array of precise air-to-air and air-to-surface ordnance, including the infrared-guided Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missile (ASRAAM) and the Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM).

Historic deployment

The Royal Navy's new F-35B squadron –– the 809 Naval Air Squadron –– debuted in October 2024. For the first time in nearly 15 years, a Royal Navy fast jet squadron is operating from the flight deck of an aircraft carrier.

The 809 Naval Air Squadron first joined HMS Prince of Wales alongside the F-35B equipped RAF Squadron 617, The Dambusters, for a month of training in the North Sea in the autumn of 2024.

This came on the heels of HMS Prince of Wales' participation in several NATO exercises that showcased the F-35B's capabilities.

During exercise Steadfast Defender, the Dambusters flew their F-35B Lightning aircraft, showcasing their ability to take off from HMS Prince of Wales' deck.

In April, both squadrons and the HMS Prince of Wales embarked on an eight-month Indo-Pacific deployment.

"One of the central aims of the deployment is to declare full operating capability for the UK Lightning Force," the British Royal Navy said in a statement.

This is "a significant moment that means the aircraft and its associated support and engineering is working at its full potential to be able to deploy two squadrons wherever they are required in the world," it said.