Britain deploys carrier to Arctic and North Atlantic

HMS Prince of Wales sails from Portsmouth on Sunday for the Arctic and North Atlantic, leading the UK Carrier Strike Group into the second phase of Operation Firecrest under NATO command, according to the Royal Navy.

The carrier is accompanied by the Type 45 destroyer HMS Dauntless and carries an air group of F-35 jets, Merlin Mk4 Commando and Mk2 anti-submarine helicopters, Wildcat helicopters and Malloy drones. More than 1,200 British personnel are deployed with the group, working alongside allies including Norway, Denmark and Germany.

The Royal Navy said the deployment of Britain’s flagship aircraft carrier alongside NATO allies is “a powerful shield for the nation, ensuring that the critical energy, trade, and communication links we all rely on everyday in the region remain secure.”

Louise Sandher-Jones, the Minister for the Armed Forces, said: “The deployment of the HMS Prince of Wales and her air wing to the High North and the North Atlantic, operating under NATO leadership, is a clear demonstration of the UK’s commitment to the Alliance and contribution to the enduring security and stability of the North Atlantic.”

Commodore Richard Hewitt, who commands the UK Carrier Strike Group staff, said he was pleased to be going back: “I am delighted to return to the Arctic and North Atlantic as we build on the successes of the first phase of Operation Firecrest.

“Led by the UK Flagship HMS Prince of Wales, the Strike Group will bring together a range of assets and capabilities, while taking every opportunity to train, operate and integrate with our NATO allies and partners.”

The Royal Navy said the focus of the second phase is maintaining operational readiness, strengthening interoperability and ensuring the group is prepared to respond to the challenges of a region it describes as increasingly important. The strike group will contribute to enhanced vigilance activity including the latest in NATO’s Neptune Strike series of exercises, which runs across swathes of Europe and the North Atlantic in a test of allied land, sea and air forces.

While deployed, the carrier will host gatherings of military and political leaders in Oslo. The Atlantic Future Forum and the International Sea Power Conference will bring together defence leaders, industry and policymakers to discuss the future of Euro-Atlantic security, and holding both aboard a British carrier alongside in the Norwegian capital puts the ship itself at the centre of the diplomacy.

Prince of Wales is due to leave Portsmouth Naval Base at 1700 on Sunday 18 October, weather permitting.