F-35 Lightnings set to join HMS Prince of Wales on landmark mission to Indo-Pacific
The UK's F-35B Lightning jets will join Royal Navy flagship HMS Prince of Wales before she deploys to the Indo-Pacific at the centre of Carrier Strike Group 25 (CSG 25) on Operation Highmast.
809 Naval Air Squadron and 617 Squadron will be on board to support the F-35s.
CSG 25 plans to work closely with international allies and partners on this landmark mission, firming up UK security commitments in the Mediterranean and the Indo-Pacific region.
The Lightning Force is set to declare full operating capability during the deployment, indicating that the fleet is fully deployable with sufficient numbers of aircraft, trained personnel and support infrastructure in place to meet operational requirements.
"Operation Highmast signifies a major milestone for the Lightning Programme," said Lightning Air Wing Commander Group Captain John Butcher.
"It will realise full operating capability for F-35 in the UK, with the ability to deploy two squadrons to the maritime operating base.
"Fifth-generation air power is important for us to be able to control the air in a contested environment and, by having two squadrons capable of delivering this, it provides more options."
Operation Highmast will also be the first operational deployment for 809 Naval Air Squadron since December 2023.
809 NAS is part of the UK combat air force and will be teaming up with its sister F-35 squadron – 617 Squadron – for extensive training on exercises with partner nations.
"At a time when the world is as unsettled as it is right now, it's hugely important that we get out and exercise with our allies and F-35 partners to prove the capability that we have in UK defence," said Commander Nick Smith, Officer Commanding 809 Naval Air Squadron.
"Deploying to the Indo-Pacific region will obviously give us the opportunity to exercise alongside our allies, particularly the Australians and Japanese forces who operate F-35s alongside us.
"It gives us an excellent opportunity to work with each other very closely to understand and develop our tactics, techniques and procedures to make sure we're as lethal and deployable as possible."
The squadrons are half RAF and half Royal Navy, with 617 Squadron led by a Royal Marine, Lieutenant Colonel Mike Carty, for the first time.
"This, for myself, is an incredible privilege and honour to take the reins as Officer Commanding 617 Squadron," said Lt Col Carty.
"It's also unique for UK defence, but what it shows is the joint nature of the squadron and how we integrate between the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force.
"Operation Highmast is an incredibly important deployment.
"It gives us the ability to hone our skills across a variety of mission sets and allows us to develop operationally alongside allies and partners."
HMS Prince of Wales is scheduled to sail from Portsmouth on 22 April, where she will join a formation of warships, supply ships and aircraft off the coast of Cornwall.
The Carrier Strike Group will then travel through the Mediterranean, the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific.
The mission includes stops and exercises with allies throughout Europe and Asia, underlining the UK's role in both Nato and wider global defence.
It will be the US's largest F-35 Lightning deployment to date.
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