2014 War Against the Islamic State

F-35B Lightning II in the 2014 War Against the Islamic State

UK and U.S. F-35B Lightning II aircraft flew carrier-launched combat missions against Daesh in June 2021 from HMS Queen Elizabeth, supporting Operation Shader and Operation Inherent Resolve.

Weapon profileF-35B Lightning II
SideAnti-ISIS coalition and partner forcesRoleLong-Range StrikeInterdiction
F-35B Lightning II, STOVL stealth multirole fighter, Aircraft & UAVs - 2014 War Against the Islamic State
Image source: USS Tripoli Conducts Flight Ops

Evidence Map

ClaimSources
UK and U.S. F-35B aircraft from HMS Queen Elizabeth flew combat missions against Daesh in June 2021.

Sources: Stealth jets fight Daesh in first combat missions from HMS Queen Elizabeth, U.S. Marine Corps Squadron Supports Operation Inherent Resolve from Royal Navy's HMS Queen Elizabeth

VMFA-211 and 617 Squadron flew F-35B counter-ISIS and protective-overwatch missions supporting Operation Inherent Resolve.

Sources: U.S. Marine Corps Squadron Supports Operation Inherent Resolve from Royal Navy's HMS Queen Elizabeth, VMFA-211 Flies Combat Sorties in Support of Operation Inherent Resolve

Operation Shader was the UK contribution to CJTF-OIR, including kinetic airstrikes in Iraq and Syria.

Sources: UNITED KINGDOM - Operation Inherent Resolve Coalition

The deployment later reported 44 Operation Inherent Resolve missions and air strikes against Daesh by the integrated F-35B force.

Sources: US Marine Corps depart Carrier Strike Group

Timeline

F-35B Lightning II In 2014 War Against the Islamic State

  1. VMFA-211 begins OIR air operations from HMS Queen Elizabeth

    Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 211 began air operations supporting Operation Inherent Resolve from HMS Queen Elizabeth, flying F-35B missions alongside the UK's 617 Squadron.

    Sources: U.S. Marine Corps Squadron Supports Operation Inherent Resolve from Royal Navy's HMS Queen Elizabeth, VMFA-211 Flies Combat Sorties in Support of Operation Inherent Resolve

  2. UK announces HMS Queen Elizabeth's first Daesh combat missions

    The UK Ministry of Defence announced that F-35 jets from HMS Queen Elizabeth had carried out the carrier's first combat missions against Daesh in support of Operation Shader and U.S. Operation Inherent Resolve.

    Sources: Stealth jets fight Daesh in first combat missions from HMS Queen Elizabeth

  3. Royal Navy summarizes deployment missions

    The Royal Navy said VMFA-211 and 617 Squadron completed 44 missions supporting Operation Inherent Resolve and conducting air strikes against Daesh during the deployment.

    Sources: US Marine Corps depart Carrier Strike Group

Documented Use

Direct proof of use

The F-35B Lightning II is directly documented in the 2014 War Against the Islamic State through official UK, Royal Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, and CJTF-OIR material from the 2021 HMS Queen Elizabeth carrier deployment. On June 22, 2021, the UK Ministry of Defence said F-35 jets from HMS Queen Elizabeth had carried out the ship's first combat missions against Daesh in support of Operation Shader and U.S. Operation Inherent Resolve.

U.S. Marine Corps reporting identified Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 211 aboard HMS Queen Elizabeth and said VMFA-211 began air operations in support of Operation Inherent Resolve on June 18, 2021. The same report stated that VMFA-211 and the UK's 617 Squadron flew F-35B Lightning II aircraft during counter-ISIS and protective overwatch missions.

Sources: Stealth jets fight Daesh in first combat missions from HMS Queen Elizabeth, U.S. Marine Corps Squadron Supports Operation Inherent Resolve from Royal Navy's HMS Queen Elizabeth

Timeline

On June 18, 2021, VMFA-211 began Operation Inherent Resolve air operations from HMS Queen Elizabeth in the Mediterranean, flying alongside UK 617 Squadron F-35Bs. DVIDS imagery from that date shows a VMFA-211 F-35B preparing to launch from the carrier for combat sorties supporting Operation Inherent Resolve.

On June 22, 2021, the UK Ministry of Defence and Royal Navy publicly announced that HMS Queen Elizabeth's F-35B air wing had joined the anti-Daesh campaign. By November 2021, the Royal Navy said VMFA-211 and 617 Squadron had carried out 44 missions supporting Operation Inherent Resolve and conducting air strikes against Daesh during the deployment.

Sources: VMFA-211 Flies Combat Sorties in Support of Operation Inherent Resolve, Stealth jets fight Daesh in first combat missions from HMS Queen Elizabeth, US Marine Corps depart Carrier Strike Group

Narrative

The documented F-35B use occurred during Carrier Strike Group 21, HMS Queen Elizabeth's first operational deployment. The UK Ministry of Defence described 18 UK and U.S. F-35B jets aboard the carrier and linked the missions to Operation Shader, the UK contribution to the Global Coalition against Daesh, and to U.S. Operation Inherent Resolve.

The F-35B role in this conflict was carrier-based airpower: operational sorties, counter-ISIS missions, protective overwatch, and air strikes against Daesh. CJTF-OIR identifies Operation Shader as the United Kingdom's military contribution to Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve, including kinetic airstrikes in Iraq and Syria, ISR, air-to-air refuelling, transport support, and partner-force training.

The public sources support UK and U.S. coalition use of the F-35B from HMS Queen Elizabeth during the continuing anti-ISIS campaign, but they do not provide a public target-by-target strike list for the F-35B sorties. The safest conflict-use summary is therefore that UK and U.S. F-35Bs were fielded from HMS Queen Elizabeth for combat missions, counter-ISIS sorties, protective overwatch, and reported air strikes against Daesh in support of Operation Shader and Operation Inherent Resolve.

Sources: Stealth jets fight Daesh in first combat missions from HMS Queen Elizabeth, U.S. Marine Corps Squadron Supports Operation Inherent Resolve from Royal Navy's HMS Queen Elizabeth, UNITED KINGDOM - Operation Inherent Resolve Coalition, US Marine Corps depart Carrier Strike Group

Images

Conflict Context

VMFA-211 F-35B preparing to launch from HMS Queen Elizabeth during Operation Inherent Resolve support in June 2021
A VMFA-211 F-35B prepares to launch from HMS Queen Elizabeth on June 18, 2021, during combat sorties supporting Operation Inherent Resolve.

Sources: VMFA-211 Flies Combat Sorties in Support of Operation Inherent Resolve

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Sources