Japan's Izumo-class ship marks first embark of UK F-35B

A UK F-35B seen here while it was operating with the JMSDF Izumo-class helicopter carrier JS Kaga . (Royal Navy)

A Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) Izumo-class helicopter carrier has embarked a UK F-35B Lightning aircraft on its flight deck for the first time, further validating the vessel's ability to launch and recover short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) airframes.

An inaugural landing of a UK F-35B took place on the second-of-class, JS Kaga , on 8 August during a trilateral exercise in the northern Philippine Sea, the UK Royal Navy said on 11 August.

It was done as part of a nine-day multinational exercise involving naval forces from Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, the service added.

The UK F-35B operates from the UK Royal Navy's flagship and aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales . It landed and took off from Kaga alongside US F-35Bs.

Kaga was operating alongside the US Navy's (USN's) USS George Washington carrier strike group (CSG), the US Marine Corps amphibious ready group centred on USS America , and the UK CSG that is spearheaded by Prince of Wales during the exercise.

“Operating together during the many evolutions over the past few weeks demonstrates the enhanced interoperability and the commitment of our partners and allies to the Indo-Pacific region,” Commander of the UK CSG Commodore James Blackmore said in the statement issued by the Royal Navy on 11 August.

Kaga is the second of two Izumo-class helicopter carriers operated by the JMSDF. First-of-class Izumo was commissioned in March 2015, while Kaga was inducted in March 2017.