British stealth jets engaged in aerial combat alongside and against American fighters during the US Navy’s Gray Flag exercise held off the coast of Los Angeles.
The Royal Navy said that the US Navy’s Gray Flag exercise, aimed at improving naval air combat and testing the latest aerial technologies and weapons, saw the Royal Navy and RAF aviators travel 90 miles from their base at Edwards Air Force Base to Naval Base Ventura County at Point Magu.
The two-week exercise, which took place last year, saw British F-35 stealth jets team up with American fighters in a series of high-stakes aerial maneuvers designed to push the boundaries of modern warfare.
There, they faced off in a simulated battle with US fighters, including F-35s, numerous variants of the F/A-18 Super Hornet, alongside uncrewed systems and C-130s.
The service said that the Gray Flag exercise, covering a massive 36,000-square-mile expanse of air and sea—more than four times the size of Wales—offered an immersive training environment for the top pilots of both nations.
Over the course of the event, participants conducted 600 sorties in 60 different tests, evaluating over two dozen systems to assess the performance of various aircraft, weapons, and sensors.
The British presence in the exercise was substantial, with over 60 air and ground crew from the Royal Navy and RAF’s 17 Tactical Evaluation Squadron (17 TES) taking part.
“In all, more Royal Navy and RAF aviators pitted their wits against the latest tech and best pilots from our allies during aerial war games outside Los Angeles,” the statement reads.
A key highlight of the event was the collaboration between British and American forces in testing the F-35’s capabilities in joint operations.
“As well as proving extremely useful for developing future F-35 operations both individually and jointly for the participating formations and nations, there was some downtime for some of the 3,000 personnel taking part with sporting activities such as volleyball and paddleboarding, cornhole (throwing bean bags through a hole on a board), plus a beach barbecue,” the Royal Navy added.
F-35 Joint Exercise Strengthens Tactical Operations
The exercise is seen as important in advancing F-35 operations for the US, the UK, and Australia. F-35 pilots and crews worked in tandem to push the boundaries of the fifth-generation fighter, with a key focus on testing new tactics and assessing advanced weapons systems.
The Navy said, “At Edwards – which is where legendary aviator Chuck Yeager first broke the sound barrier nearly 80 years ago – the Brits work alongside fellow F-35 users from the US and Australia.”
“Together they form a United Operational Test Team, developing tactics, testing sensors, software and kit with the goal of ensuring the fifth-generation fighter remains ahead of current and future threats,” it added.
The United Operational Test Team was led by Commander Stephen Collins (callsign Lothar). Collins, the first British aviator selected for the US Navy’s ‘Top Gun’ course, took over from Commander Matt ‘FB’ Fooks-Bale.
During Fooks-Bale’s leadership, the team integrated the new AIM-120D AMRAAM missile, which can target and destroy aerial threats up to 100 miles away from the F-35.
Rather than a traditional naval handover, the leadership change took place mid-flight in Edwards’ airspace, with both pilots swapping control at supersonic speeds. A formal ceremony followed once they were back on the ground.
Although the UK Navy has only now revealed details of their participation, the Gray Flag 2024 exercise occurred last September, from the 17th to the 23rd.
This high-profile, large-scale event brought together US and allied forces, alongside academic and industry experts, for a joint testing initiative hosted by Naval Test Wing Pacific and VX-9 at Naval Base Ventura County in Point Mugu, California.
Gray Flag 2024 saw the execution of approximately 600 aircraft sorties and the testing of over 26 distinct systems on the ground and showcased the extensive scope of multi-domain capabilities being rigorously evaluated.
The exercise was carried out across the sprawling 36,000-square-mile Point Mugu Sea Range, operated by the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD), and leveraged Live, Virtual, and Constructive (LVC) test elements to simulate advanced combat scenarios in a highly controlled and realistic environment.
The event allowed for a detailed and realistic evaluation of system interoperability and provided valuable insights that will shape future military tactics and requirements across various domains.
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