Britain has successfully completed the first operational mission of its most advanced fighter jet, the Lockheed Martin Lightning F-35B.

The jet, which is just over 15.5 meters long with a wingspan of 35 feet flew alongside a Typhoon aircraft over the skies of Iraq and Syria on Sunday as part of the ongoing fight against Daesh.

According to the country’s Ministry of Defense,the operational debut follows Exercise Lightning Dawn, which saw the jets build up their capability as part of a training exercise in Cyprus.

After what the ministry described as the  exceptional performance of the aircraft, pilots and support staff during the training exercise, the planes departed for action from the Akrotiri Royal Air Force (RAF) base in Cyprus.

Although the jets did not carry out any strikes, the mission formed part of the UK’s contribution to the global coalition against ISIS in Iraq and Syria.

According to the RAF website, the fifth-generation combat aircraft is capable of conducting missions including air-to-surface, electronic warfare, intelligence gathering and air-to-air simultaneously.

UK Defense Secretary, Penny Mordaunt said the F-35s were the most advanced jets the country has ever possessed and will form the backbone of British air defense for decades to come. 

Because of the aircraft’s stealth technology which enables it to operate undetected in hostile airspace and its ability to reach supersonic speeds and conduct short take-offs and vertical landings, the UK government has pledged to buy 138 of the jets over the program’s lifetime.