Footage shows F-35Bs launching from the deck of HMS Queen Elizabeth as the vessel and her air wing join the fight against Islamic State.

These are the first ever combat sorties flown from the carrier.

The Ministry of Defence say that stealth jets of the renowned 617 Squadron RAF (The Dambusters) carried out operational sorties for the first time in support of Operation Shader and US Operation Inherent Resolve.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said:

“The ability to operate from the sea with the most advanced fighter jets ever created is a significant moment in our history, offering reassurance to our allies and demonstrating the UK’s formidable air power to our adversaries. The Carrier Strike Group is a physical embodiment of Global Britain and a show of international military strength that will deter anyone who seeks to undermine global security.”

The Royal Navy say in a news release:

“From exercises and international engagements, it is now delivering its full might of naval and air power, putting the “strike” into Carrier Strike Group and contributing to the UK’s fight against Daesh.”

Images of two Royal Air Force F-35B Lightnings conducting sorties in support of Operation SHADER.
The jets are operating off of the HMS Queen Elizabeth as part of Carrier Strike Group 21.

Commodore Steve Moorhouse, Commander United Kingdom Carrier Strike Group, said:

“HMS Queen Elizabeth’s first missions against Daesh will be remembered as a significant moment in the 50-year lifespan of this ship. It also marks a new phase of our current deployment. To date we have delivered diplomatic influence on behalf of the UK through a series of exercises and engagements with our partners – now we are ready to deliver the hard punch of maritime-based air power against a shared enemy. The involvement of HMS Queen Elizabeth and her Air Wing in this campaign also sends a wider message. It demonstrates the speed and agility with which a UK-led Carrier Strike Group can inject fifth generation combat power into any operation, anywhere in the world, thereby offering the British Government, and our allies, true military and political choice.”

Images of F-35B Lightning conducting sorties in support of Operation SHADER.
The jets are operating off of the HMS Queen Elizabeth as part of Carrier Strike Group 21.

Captain James Blackmore, Commander of the Carrier Air Wing, added:

“The Lightning Force is once again in action against Daesh, this time flying from an aircraft carrier at sea, which marks the Royal Navy’s return to maritime strike operations for the first time since the Libya campaign a decade ago. With its fifth generation capabilities, including outstanding situational awareness, the F-35B is the ideal aircraft to deliver precision strikes, which is exactly the kind of mission that 617 Squadron has been training for day-after-day, night-after-night, for these past few months. This is also notable as the first combat mission flown by US aircraft from a foreign carrier since HMS Victorious in the South Pacific in 1943. The level of integration between Royal Navy, Royal Air Force and US Marine Corps is truly seamless, and testament to how close we’ve become since we first embarked together last October.”

There are 18 UK and US F-35 Lightning jets on board HMS Queen Elizabeth, which is the largest number of fifth generation combat aircraft to ever sail the seas.

What is the UK Carrier Strike Group doing?

HMS Queen Elizabeth is the deployed flag ship for Carrier Strike Group 21 (CSG21), a deployment that will see the ship and her escorts sail to the Asia-Pacific and back.

The Carrier Strike Group includes ships from the United States Navy, the Dutch Navy, and Marines from the US Marine Corps. As well as British frigates, destroyers, a submarine, two RFA supply ships and air assets from 617 Sqn, 820 NAS, 815 NAS and 845 NAS.

The Carrier Strike Group.

CSG21 will see the ship along with the Strike Group work with over 40 countries from around the world. The Strike Group will operate and exercise with other countries Navies and Air Forces during the 7 month deployment.

George Allison
George Allison
George has a degree in Cyber Security from Glasgow Caledonian University and has a keen interest in naval and cyber security matters and has appeared on national radio and television to discuss current events. George is on Twitter at @geoallison
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57 COMMENTS

  1. A significant milestone and a clear demonstration of increased projected sea power to help protect our global interests.

  2. Well Done.
    The site AirWars reported by Dec 2018 the RAF had flown 8000 missions against IS across Syria and Iraq since Sept 2014. They had released precision weapons 1600 times. The RAF, SAS and British Army, have significantly assisted US forces in smashing one of the most evil movements to have come into existence since the Nazis.
    Millions of innocent men, women and children have been freed from brutality, slavery and death. President Trump, US, British and French forces will get little credit for their efforts. But had it been up to the odious moral cowardice of Corbyn’s Labour, the Liberals and the SNP, these millions would still be suffering unspeakable evils. They would have stood by while the Yazidi people and others were enslaved.
    This was not about oil as some fools suggest. It was about doing what is right. Those opposed to military action should now have the honour to admit they were wrong. But they won’t.
    And here is the point I think most important. If the UK were ever faced with a serious threat, the most important battle that it would face would be defeating the lies and deceit propagated by politically motivated domestic opponents like the Stop The War Coalition.
    It is important for the MoD and government to remind the British public of the good British forces achieved to counter the necrotic toxin of current extremist political groups and also hostile media.

    • We must praise your diligence in 2021, lest we not forget,
      A)    Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour is responsible for all that goes wrong.
      B)    Anything good wouldn’t have happened if Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour had been in power.
      Commenters please remember to add this to the footer of all remarks going forward.
      Give yourself a slow hand clap

    • No. You might as well take it down.
      It is not a Party Political commentary. It is a matter of record that there was substanial opposition in the Parliametary debate on the question of should Britain engage in a bombing campaign to try and destroy an evil group. IS were enslaving women and children in holes in the ground and Left wing groups in the UK were prepared not just to stand by but to actively prevent the UK from helping these enlsved peope.
      It is your decision. Allow the truth to be posted or censor it.

      • Okay. That is far enough.
        I would remove odiuos. One of the definitions is ” deserving hatred”. I do not believe this. I used the term as in another of its definitions, “extremely unpleasent.”

        I also accept that the term “fools” is inappropriate. The term “ill informed” is more appropriate. I said this from being a Consultant in the Oil Industry. From my position people who at the time of the vote and were alleging the action proposed was somehow a cover for grabbing oil reserves,as had been alleged about Iraq, were being foolish. ( Russia’s motivation to prevent the gas pipeline from Qatar to Europe is a different issue.)

        I would retract these terms if I could but edit is not working.

      • As someone who had a comment ‘memory holed’ for impertinence and poor taste, I agree yours is the best policy George.

      • I had a post taken down for saying the word yanks ,is that not over the top though, not to criticise ,just curious

      • It’s odd, but I’ve never really come across this, bar people bickering about Brexit. I’ve found this to be one of the best forums, regarding content and tone of comments, that I’ve encountered. Generally I’ve seen people happy to share their knowledge and others happy to contribute and learn.

      • I agree entirely. His speech, quote “We must confront this evil” was a masterpiece and courageous. It was saddening he was in the minority. 66 Labour MP’s voted for the bombing. 152 against. His speech did not move the SNP. All 53 voted with Corbyn against.

        • Agreed had nothing been done that movement would have ended up with Med facilities that would have put the Barbary Pirates achievements (part of the first Caliphate) to insignificance. I wonder what the reaction would have been when the first cruise ship was taken over as just one example of the potential malice and destruction that would have developed. Not to mention the thousands who would have flocked to their ranks worldwide casing further havoc that would have been almost unstoppable. That’s the problem with preventing such events you never get support for avoiding the disasters that therefore never happen only contempt for the downsides and damage of preventing them from happening.

    • No one can say what would or wouldn’t happen to a theoretical leader in some time travel tangent. It’s madness to suggest such. By all means mention the defence but ur personal opinion is at best guess work and inflammatory and at worst I won’t go into.

      • I was pointing out matters of fact not opinion:-
        1) That there was substantial opposition to UK forces acting to what Hillary Benn described when he said in his speech to Parliament “We must confront this evil.”
        2) I was also drawing attention that there is a significant number in the UK that actively oppose the use of UK armed forces, even when they a “confronting evil”.

      • And here is an example of never being able to show the events that due to action never happen. Speculation indeed but thankfully most of us don’t need to anticipate them in time to avoid them just suffer the consequences of any missteps and mistakes along the way whichever way it goes. Any understanding of the history of the 20s and 30s teaches the inability to read the future correctly, till it is too late. Current decisions have to be made in light of that and many other examples from history and sadly sometimes you get it wrong. However I will say I have looked and can’t see any evidence to suggest that inaction would have in some way precluded the speculative future or something similar I relate in my previous post. Indeed all evidence tends to point the other way.

  4. Great capability to demonstrate on the world stage. However they aren’t doing anything that can’t be done from RAF Akrotiri with Typhoon. Presumably the tankers are operating from Akrotiri in any case. Still it does provide the CSG with operational experience and also signals to the world that UK CS is back and unless you behave may be coming to a place near you.

    • Does your taps leak at home ?
      Then they need sorting out
      I think you will find that theres abit more pluming on QE than at home so yes the plummers will be busy
      Oh and before i finish ships leak all the time 24 hrs a day
      Try going on a liner now and then and see the problems they have

    • Ok, having a butchers I find this picture from the QE twitter feed regards those ISIS strikes anybody know what that package is peaking out from its bomb bay:

      :

          • Yep Aim120 on its mounting. I would assume it’s AMRAAM internally and ASRAAM on the wing launchers.

            The ASRAAM serves the duel role of increasing the RCS, useful as the Russians will no doubt have all sorts of Elint assets out and about grabbing as much signals data as they possibly can.

    • Pretty straight forward to work out…

      Only weapons cleared for UK use are Asraam on outermost wing pylons, Amraam C-5 mounted on bay doors and Paveway IV internally and on the inner and mid pylons.

      As the only stores carried externally in the pics are Asraam on the external pylon you can be pretty sure that the following is the warload:

      2 x Asraam WVR missile mounted on outermost external pylons.
      2 x Amraam C-5 BVR missile mounted internally on the bomb bay doors
      2 x Paveway IV 500lb LGB mounted internally.

  7. After so, so long the UK finally have this capability back. Potential enemies will take notice, and the CSG will only grow stronger.

    Stay safe guys and girls and thank you.

  8. Wonder if this’ll be potentially the first time that they perform SRVLs with live ammunition after returning from sorties where no weapons are used?

  9. Clearly this is fake news and all the footage made up…how many times do you lot need to be told..we don’t have any aircraft for our carriers, complete white elephants.

    im going back to reading the daily splot.

  10. Absolutely fantastic to see us back in the fixed wing naval business and with a platform that only the Americans have something comparable, the 2 QE although expensive will provide more than enough value for money, after all I expect them both to last 50 yrs, the price broken down by years will show the absolute amazing value of these platforms at a time when finding that value in military procurement is proving very difficult indeed

    • I wonder if they were that expensive – £3bn each (including share of R&D/NRE) – that is what the NHS burns through in one week.

      [They would have been even cheaper if politicians hadn’t re-profiled the spend multiple times and mucked about with the spec]
      [USS Gerald R Ford is £12.54bn, including R&D/NRE]

  13. You mind clarifying what your talking about Steve? Sounds interesting but I’m not completely following what your saying. I thought max was for around 40 planes and helicopters (72 was mentioned in earlier articles but I can’t see this many being routinely used from the ship with the deck and hanger space that is available, unless you are just ferrying planes to a war zone Falklands style)

    • 12 F-35B is the minimum number the QE will every operate with, Just enough to provide a Combat Air Patrol 24/7 to protect the carrier and her escorts, Anything more than 12 you can start offensive actions so in this case QE has 18 F-35B of which 12 could be dedicated for CAP in a real combat operation, Leaving just 6 available for offensive strikes etc.

      I believe that is what Stephen was talking about.

  14. I wonder how… jealous… US Mil will be at this capability; it must give them pause for thought that their CVN programme is the right way to go

  16. Interesting to see the pictures from HMS Kent in Piraeus with Sea Venom on display. I didn’t think they were in service yet but that didn’t look like a test load.

  17. If it came to a squeeze can the F35Bs put 6 AMRAAM/Meteor’s in their bays or is it only 4 max? And on the wing, can they load up to 4 or even 6?

  18. Just wondering. can the F35B fly from Roads and off road hides in European etc countryside. As the RAF Harriers did in West Germany back in the 1970s-80s ?

  19. Labour Government ordered the UKs 2 x New world beating designed Aircraft Carriers.
    Since 2010.11 years of Tory slash and cuts to all 3 services = Not enough modern warfighting or defensive kit. No towed 155mm Artillery or High Altitude ground to air missile defence etc. Ajax what a disaster on Tory government watch. just saying.

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