The Carrier Strike Group of HMS Prince of Wales has entered the Mediterranean following a five-month deployment across the Indo-Pacific, marking the homeward phase of Operation Highmast, one of the Royal Navy’s most extensive missions in recent years.
The group, led by aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, confirmed its arrival in Souda Bay, Crete, on 1 November, posting: “It’s great to be back in Souda Bay, Crete. After 5 months of operating in the Indo-Pacific region… we’re in the Mediterranean.”
Earlier in the week, the strike group transited the Suez Canal after sailing through the Red Sea, accompanied by a US Navy Arleigh Burke-class destroyer as part of the multinational effort to secure maritime traffic against ongoing Houthi attacks in the region.
Operation Highmast saw the carrier and its escorts operate alongside forces from Japan, South Korea, Norway, Canada and Spain. The deployment demonstrated the UK’s ability to sustain long-range naval operations while deepening interoperability with Indo-Pacific allies.
During the eastern phase of the mission, the group conducted high-tempo exercises in the Sea of Japan, including coordinated flight operations between British F-35B Lightning II jets and Japanese F-15 and F-35A aircraft. The deployment also included complex damage-control and medical evacuation drills involving multiple allied vessels.
Supporting HMS Prince of Wales are HMS Dauntless, HMS Richmond, RFA Tidespring, and several allied ships, with a total of around 4,500 personnel across the task force. The strike group’s medical teams, reinforced by the Maritime Medical Emergency Response Team (MMERT), carried out extensive readiness training during the deployment.
The Mediterranean leg marks the final stage of Operation Highmast as the strike group returns toward European waters after a global voyage spanning the Indian Ocean, Pacific and Red Sea.
It’s been a long deployment and it will be good to have them all safely back home.
I did a few 7 months plus deployments in my time in the navy but it’s unbelievable to feel the change of passing Gibraltar and entering the Atlantic. you really feel that home now is just over the horizon. long deployments in a coastguard navy means more sea time for the ships that we do have.
It is very worrying that the CSG had to be “escorted” by an American Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, USS Mitscher, on its transit though the Red Sea. On the outward bound transit through the Red Sea back in late May, the RAF was apparently so worried that POW would be hit by Houthi missiles that they wanted all the F-35B’s to be temporarily disembarked for the passage!
First I have heard of the disembarkation.
Seems unwarranted, no warships have been successfully hit, even though the French nearly ate one.
It should be noted resupply ships like the tide and supply class have been in the redsea since the start, unarmed.
And yet we diverted our Tide class tanker via the Cape of Good Hope on CSG25’s outbound leg, it rendezvoused with the CSG in the Indian Ocean
i call BS, which ship and when?
I’m assuming he’s talking about a video that surfaced a while back about a French frigate intercepting a drone with its main gun. During the firing, a small black shape flies across the field of view of the camera, which many incorrectly assumed was a drone that had narrowly missed the ship. It was not – it turned out to be debris from the firing of the gun.
No it really isn’t, nice attempt at sowing fear uncertainty and doubt though, do keep up the “good” work.
Tom Sharpe wrote that in the Telegraph to be totally fair to OP.
Tom isn’t usually an alarmist or purveyor of untruths.
I could see an RAF mid rank panicking about that sort of thing. That is the problem with having non naval aviators running naval aviation…..
It didn’t happen…..anyway T45 and T23 have the proven capabilities.
Most of the aircraft were in the hangar deck. Which is routine when transiting the canal. Did the same on the Invincible class with Harriers and Seakings. Its called force protection.
Mate, is it known how many aircraft the hanger on a QE can take? Sticking just with the expected types, F35B and Merlin.
How many in what state of rapid readiness/deployment….it is a nuanced question.
It is a massive game of Tetris.
You can fit a lot in if they fully tesselate but you have no hope of moving anything past them. That generates the highest number.
You can fit a lot less in is you want to be able to get any one frame out at will without moving anything else.
It is different as Harrier, defuelled, could be wheeled around manually. F35B is a lot heavier and physically larger so you wouldn’t want to try that in any sea state over flat calm.
Yes, all logical. So the optimum seems to be some on deck, and some in the hanger, giving more options.
Good points re Harrier weight and ease of movement, not something I’d considered.
I’m only guessing mate, but probably 20+ F35s and helicopters. Ground equipment usually also takes up plenty of space.
You could not move a Harrier by hand. Every aircraft movement on a carrier is with a towing tractor attached on the flight deck or a mechanical handle in the hangar deck.
There was a device in use at one point that was quite like a powered pallet truck that attached to the front wheel. I think the steering pin had to be removed to allow it to be used?
Sorry very vague memory from a long time ago.
Sounds like the mechanical handler you are thinking of. It had jaws that gripped around the front wheel then life it clear if the deck by a few inches. It was battery powered and very good for maneuver aircraft around the hangar and in tight spots. Getting a Harrier lined up perfectly on the aft lift in one move was always satisfying. They have much more modern version on the QEs.
Agreed.
That was SOP to just keep the minimum on deck.
Well we don’t have any ballistic defenses
Against Houthi-level ballistic missiles? We definitely do.
it would have been escorted by one of our own. but we don’t have any. the TU3 when it comes along MUST have a decent order size. five T45 was never going to be enough.we must have two destroyers escorting our carriers at all times. along with dedicated ASW in the correct numbers whenever one of the ornaments is at sea
Don’t let truth get In the way of a good story eh.
Nothing disembarked. Uta called force protection. Most aircraft are moved to the hangar deck. Its routine when transiting the canal. The same happend on Invincible calls with Harriers and Seakings.
I’d be surprised if this is true, the RAF get access to intel as do the RN. If it is, the RAF should wind its neck in and rely on the Royal Navy knowing what it is doing.
Probably an entirely random coincidence that an AB happened to be on station, at the right time, in a higher threat area to assist in safely shepherding a high vis target, sailing potentially in harm’s way. 🤔😉
Are you promulgating the conspiracy theory that RN and USN talk to each other and help each other out by collaborating…..
Heaven Forfend, absolutely shocking to envision allies collaborating on a routine basis! 😉
Morning to all you serious folk, anyone know if a documentory has been filmed this trip ?
I reckon It would have been a great trip with so much going on.
Quite enjoyed the last one, especially the antics of the crew.
I bet your favourite was that guy in logistics who got told off for being drunk after a shore run.
If it’s the same individual I think you’re referring to, I seem to remember that after filming he was given a dishonourable discharge for failing a drugs test.
MLK, the Crew in general but I saw this Individual was the “Star of the show”. Didn’t hear about his discharge for drugs though.
Yes, he was. Hope the guy sorts himself out ok.
Nah, thought he was a dick personally.
The Americans were some of my favourites. Perhaps there’ll be something similar with the Spaniards, Canadians and Norwegians this time. The interactions are always great.
I wonder what the lessons learnt will read.
Good to have them back in time for Christmas and New Years, I guess the planning for QEC 2027(?) Will already in the planning stage although, she will be probably bereft of UK escorts.
Amongst all the problems the Armed Forces face, escorts must be up there as a major bugbear.
Meanwhile, it’s missing down in the UK 🙂 😀
So you are suggesting that QE will sail on a deployment with 0 UK assets escorting?
More ludicrous fear uncertainty and doubt being sown and spread in the , increasingly, barking mad comments section of this website.
Go on, tell about the availability of T23?
A T45 may sail, but is she most at risk from a underwater or air threat. Not barking, not deluded.
And the Government need to be called out on their press releases re the power of the Armed Forces.
As to a previous reply re. Chinese electronic warfare against USN aircraft, it is not so ludicrous as other people have commented. Wind your neck in and get back in your box or stop being voxpop for the MoD.
Nope I don’t need to tell you anything, many of the so called press releases that you and others reply to on this site are often nothing more than answers to parliamentary questions and not press releases at all.
You are the one who’s “neck” needs “winding in”.
You have posited zero UK escorts the next time QE is deployed. That is total nonsense, come back and prove it here on the next deployment and don’t just insist that you are the almighty seer of the future.
Yes,we should be so proud of them mincing around in the middle of nowhere ,pretending they’d actually get involved with anything other than pointless showboating with the 4 or 5 warships that can put to sea,whilst our island gets invaded daily.
Wind your neck in.
Twat.
Charmed I’m sure.
What do you want the Royal Navy to do about migrants?
Yes, it is not a military issue. They can liaise with other agencies at JMSC on intel but enforcement of borders regards migration is a police and Border force issue.
An unfortunate by product of Brexit, the loss of the Dublin agreement.
I can’t see another far east CSG until 2029, by which time we will have a T26 and a T31 available, plus an up-armed a T45. Plus an Astute.
It’s a way off yet, but the 2033 CSG should be the first in which all major weapons systems are in service. Perhaps the FSSS as well.
Almost a guarantee CSG29 will be better equipped. In addition to new frigates, upgraded destroyers, more F-35Bs, an Astute class will be assigned to Rotational Force-West (HMAS Stirling). Always convenient and comforting to know a SSN(s) is monitoring the natives and protecting your (subsurface) six.
By 2027 T45 generation will be in a very good place so I’d expect to see two of those. Maybe even one with Sea Ceptor and NSM!
ASW would likely be T23 and something from allies.
Yes things should start to look better around that time when finally the new frigates start to arrive thankfully!
We do seem to be fixed at 19 escorts though no mention or rumours of further orders just drone ships.
The Norway deal is such great news though we will in effect go from 8 type 26 to 13 as both navies will be so intertwined in the high North
With crazy Donnie’s recent mad ramblings about Nigeria, how long before people start clamouring for the CSG to be sent to West Africa and so will be subsequently inconsolable when we don’t? I invoke the memory of the US’ and Israel’s bombings of Iran a few months back.