The aviation-centric US Navy amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA-6) has conducted “advanced combat operations” with Lockheed-Martin F-35A fighters of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force in the western Pacific.
An October 25 release from the Japan-based ship said the training was, “designed to increase the tactical proficiency, lethality, and interoperability of the amphibious forces of the America Expeditionary Strike Group and the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) in the maritime domain”, without providing further details.
The America class LHA can operate as many as 20 Short Take-off Vertical Landing (STOVL) F-35B variant of the Lightning II. Japan plans to eventually acquire 42 F-35Bs, which will be used on its own aircraft carriers.