British F-35B carrier-borne fighter aircraft could potentially be landing and taking off from one of Japan's de facto aircraft carriers soon, as members of a U.K. carrier strike group are set to reach Japanese waters in August in the final leg of a monthslong Indo-Pacific deployment.
The Japan Times understands that part of the joint activities could include having F-35Bs from the Royal Navy’s Prince of Wales aircraft carrier touch down on and take off from the deck of the Maritime Self-Defense Force’s Kaga carrier as the partner navies seek to boost interoperability.
If confirmed, the drills, which could include information exchanges on F-35B operations, would come as the MSDF is set to begin receiving the first of 42 F-35Bs being procured from the United States, most of which it aims to deploy from its two recently refitted Izumo-class carriers.
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