What You Need to Know: The Royal Navy's renowned 809 Naval Air Squadron, known as the "Immortals," has returned to sea after a 15-year hiatus, operating F-35B Lightning II stealth fighters from HMS Prince of Wales. Alongside RAF Squadron 617 "The Dambusters," they will comprise the carrier's air wing for an upcoming eight-month global deployment, including a visit to Japan.
-This marks the first deployment of a vessel named HMS Prince of Wales to the region since 1941. For many in 809 NAS, it's their inaugural experience at sea, revitalizing carrier-based skills.
-The operation symbolizes a significant milestone in modernizing the Royal Navy's capabilities.
One of the most famous squadrons of the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy is operating at sea again for the first time in 15 years. Pilots from the famed 809 Naval Air Squadron the "Immortals" are now conducting carrier-based operations from HMS Prince of Wales with the Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II fifth-generation stealth fighters. The Immortals are being supported by RAF Squadron 617 "The Dambusters" – and the two squadrons will make up the carrier's airwing during its eight-month global deployment next year.
The Royal Navy shared images and a short video of the F-35Bs – the short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) variant – operating from the flight deck of HMS Prince of Wales on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
"The fifth-generation jets made the short flight from their base at RAF Marham to the flattop where, over the coming weeks, some personnel will learn the art of operating from an aircraft carrier, while others will regenerate skills which have faded while working away from the sea," the Royal Navy announced.
In addition to the aircraft from the two squadrons, around 200 personnel including engineers and technicians to chefs and meteorologists have also been embarked on the 65,000-tonne Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier.
"As with the two other Lightning formations based at Marham, 617 and 207 Squadrons, it draws its personnel roughly 50/50 from the RAF and Fleet Air Arm," the Royal Navy noted. "For three in every five personnel in 809 NAS – pilots, but especially their vital supporting ground crew – this is their first time at sea."
HMS Prince of Wales is currently scheduled to lead the UK Carrier Strike Group to the Indo-Pacific, including a visit to Japan. It will be the first time a Royal Navy aircraft carrier has been deployed to the region since the flagship HMS Queen Elizabeth led a carrier strike group to the region in 2021, traveling more than 55,000 nautical miles.
This will also mark the first time any vessel named HMS Prince of Wales will travel to the region since the King George V-class battleship was sunk in a Japanese airstrike on December 10, 1941, off the coast of Malaysia in the South China Sea.
One of the most famed Fleet Air Wing units, 809 Naval Air Squadron first saw action in 1941 in the Arctic, operating the Fairey Fulmar, while the unit later took part in combat operations in Malta, North Africa, Salerno, the south of France, the Aegean, Burma, and later during Suez Crisis, and the Falklands War.
The Immortals was decommissioned in December 1982, with its eight Sea Harriers following the Falklands War – with none being lost.
The unit was reactivated on December 8, 2023, as the UK's second frontline F-35B Lightning II squadron.
Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org.
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