Landmark landing: British F-35 pilot touches down on Japanese warship for first time

A British pilot has landed an F-35B Lightning II on a Japanese warship for the first time.

Royal Navy Lieutenant Commander Nick Baker, who is currently on an exchange programme with the US Patuxent River Integrated Test Force, vertically landed on the Izumo-class multi-functional destroyer JS Kaga.

The test landing was done during sea trials to gather the data required to certify F-35B Lightning II short take-off and vertical landing aircraft operations with the Japanese navy - the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force.

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The results of these sea trials and test landings will contribute to improved interoperability between Japan and the US, strengthening the deterrence and response capabilities of the Japan-US alliance in the Indo-Pacific region.

Japan is an F-35 Joint Programme Office foreign military sales customer and is planning to purchase 42 F-35B fighter jets.

It currently operates the ground-based F-35A variant.

The F-35B is a stealth aircraft which can be used to conduct air-to-surface, electronic warfare, intelligence-gathering and air-to-air missions simultaneously. 

The aircraft can reach speeds of Mach 1.6, climb to altitudes of 50,000ft and has a combat radius of 833km.

Based in the UK at Royal Air Force Marham, the F-35B can operate on land and at sea from the Royal Navy's Queen Elizabeth-class carriers.

The Patuxent River Integrated Test Force, to which Lt Cdr Baker is currently seconded, plans, coordinates and conducts the safe, secure and efficient flight testing of F-35B and C variants, operated by the US Marine Corps and US Navy respectively.

It also provides necessary and timely data to support programme verification and certification as well as fleet operational requirements.

The Japanese air force - the Japan Air Self-Defence Force - operates the F-35A which is the conventional take off and landing (CTOL) variant.

However Japan has modified the Kaga to turn it into a light carrier so its forthcoming F-35Bs can be operated at sea.