British aircraft carrier deploying to deter Russia

HMS Queen Elizabeth will sail from Portsmouth this weekend for a three-month deployment around the UK and northern Europe, with the Royal Navy saying the carrier will strengthen NATO deterrence, readiness and collective defence.

The 65,000-tonne aircraft carrier is due to begin leaving Portsmouth Naval Base at 6.20pm on Saturday 5 September with more than 800 sailors aboard. The deployment will combine advanced warfighting training with the ship’s new role as NATO’s afloat command platform for the Allied Response Force.

Over the next three months, Queen Elizabeth will operate around British and northern European waters alongside allied forces, developing the crew’s ability to conduct high-end naval operations and command a multinational force in a crisis. The Royal Navy stated that the deployment would see the carrier “conduct an intensive programme of training and operations, working alongside Allies to enhance collective security, deterrence and readiness.”

Queen Elizabeth assumed the NATO command ship role for the Allied Response Force in July, the first time either of the Queen Elizabeth-class carriers has performed the task. During the deployment, the ship will rehearse how an allied naval force would operate together if NATO was required to respond to a crisis.

Captain Claire Thompson, Commanding Officer of HMS Queen Elizabeth, said:

“We’ve returned from summer leave rested and ready for the next phase of our training. Sailing this autumn is a key milestone for both our NATO commitment, as the Afloat Command Platform and also on our journey back to the Royal Navy’s ‘very high readiness’ aircraft carrier, a duty we will resume from our sister ship HMS Prince of Wales in 2027. Sailing with an embarked battle staff, integration and training is essential whilst relearning the skills required to conduct safe and effective aviation as we ensure that we are prepared to deliver operational activity at the heart of NATO should it be required.”

The carrier will also undertake advanced training under the Royal Navy’s Fleet Operational Standards and Training organisation, covering the full range of modern naval warfare. The programme is intended to prepare Queen Elizabeth for higher readiness and eventual return to the UK’s principal carrier role. Training will continue into 2027, including participation in major NATO exercises, before Queen Elizabeth takes over from HMS Prince of Wales as the UK’s flagship and high-readiness strike carrier later that year.

The Royal Navy said British forces are already contributing to NATO deterrence across Europe, with more than 1,000 UK personnel serving in NATO command posts and Britain leading the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps from Gloucestershire.

UK forces also include an 800-strong battlegroup in Estonia, RAF Typhoon fighters deployed to defend NATO airspace over Romania, and P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft and RC-135W Rivet Joint surveillance aircraft operating around the Baltic.

The UK also assigns its nuclear deterrent to the defence of the Alliance and, under plans confirmed in the Defence Investment Plan, intends to join NATO’s Dual Capable Aircraft nuclear mission with F-35A fighters.

Queen Elizabeth’s autumn deployment will therefore combine NATO command duties with the process of returning the carrier and her crew to very high readiness, while maintaining a British carrier presence in northern European waters as NATO continues to strengthen deterrence and its ability to respond rapidly to a crisis.