Tri-Service

US To Fly F-35 From Royal Navy's HMS Queen Elizabeth

UK Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon has confirmed that the US will deploy F-35 fighter planes on board the Royal Navy's new aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth.

The planes will be US Marine Corps F-35B jets, with UK planes expected to do the same on US vessels "in the fullness of time".

It comes as US Defence Secretary Ash Carter, says Brexit does not change "at all" the UK's close military alliance with the United States.

Mr Carter told reporters at a press conference in Lancaster House:

"President (Barack) Obama and I and many other Americans know we can continue to count on a strong UK to be a staunch ally. That was true the day before the Brexit vote and it's true today".

Mr Carter said that this would continue well into the future because of the steps the US and UK have been taking together as allies and to uphold the principle of international order, and because of the commitments made by the UK in its strategic review and defence funding. He added:

"The United States respects the decision of the British people on Brexit and we are committed to continue and build upon our broad-ranging military, political and economic co-operation".

"That's because Brexit does not change at all, all that our countries have to do together, it doesn't change all that binds our people together."

"And it certainly does not change how we will partner together to meet the challenges and seize the opportunities and defend the principle of order in a rapidly-changing world and amidst new threats to the trans-Atlantic community," he added.

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The Defence Secretary, meanwhile, has confirmed that a further 100 troops will be deployed to the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan, building on the commitment made last year to send 300.

This will enable the provision of a field hospital to support peacekeepers from the UK and other UN countries. Sir Michael said:

"This large -scale deployment underlines how we are stepping up our global commitments. Backed by a rising defence budget, it’s part of our effort to tackle the instability that leads to mass migration and terrorism. It will help keep Britain safe while improving lives abroad."

The Defence Secretary also announced that the first of the 250 military trainers, who he committed in June to allied operations against the so-called Islamic State in Iraq, have now started arriving in the country.