The UK government has confirmed that the Royal Navy’s new aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth will carry more US fighter aircraft than British ones.<\/p>\n
Labour MP Kevan Jones tabled<\/a> a Written Question to the MOD on 26 April:<\/p>\n To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the majority of F-35s deployed on Queen Elizabeth’s voyage to the Indo-Pacific will be US Marine Corps aircraft.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n MOD minister James Heappey responded:<\/p>\n HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH will embark 18 F-35Bs for CSG21 in two squadrons: eight from the UK’s 617 Squadron RAF and 10 from the US Marine Corps squadron VMFA-211. The Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers are international by design and the fact they can operate a mixed US\/UK air group is a strategic advantage, offering choice and flexibility to both nations.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n This means that the majority of the F-35 jets on the UK vessel with be American, arguably bringing into question the UK’s status as an independent nation-state.<\/p>\n The First Sea Lord was quick to frame the matter as one of “potent” cooperation, rather than diminished power.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n A potent symbol of international cooperation, CSG21 demonstrates the UK\u2019s return to carrier operations in concert with our allies. HMS Queen Elizabeth will deploy with F-35 jets from the #USMC<\/a> and the #RAF<\/a> iconic Dambusters, visiting over a fifth of the countries in the world. pic.twitter.com\/PI9J0Je0N0<\/a><\/p>\n — First Sea Lord (@AdmTonyRadakin) April 28, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n