Britain’s high-readiness aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth will sail today for the Arctic Circle to support a secret multinational mission, it has been revealed.

The vessel is being deployed to act as an emergency landing option should “a classified cargo aircraft” require its usage. We earlier reported that Typhoon jets will be deploying to the Arctic for what is intended to be a secret escort mission involving a cargo aircraft. We believe these deployments are related.

Speaking to NATO Admiral Feliz Navidad, we were told that this special cargo mission is being supported by both NATO and Russian assets.

Other commentators have noted that that the loading of provisions would be unusual as the craft is rumoured to be elf-sufficient and shouldn’t need anything else.

The Royal Navy told us:

“Part of HMS Queen Elizabeth’s previous trials involved the fitting of STOVL (Sleigh Take Off and Vixen Landing) equipment allowing for this kind of aircraft to land and take-off from the carrier.”

We understand that the undisclosed cargo is to be revealed nationwide on the morning of the 25th of this month but only to good boys and girls.

According to Foreign Office spokesman Nicholas Cringle:

“We’ve received a request for assistance to support a multi-national air transport mission being launched from a currently undisclosed location within the Arctic Circle. As such, HMS Queen Elizabeth is being redirected to provide emergency provisions and a ‘back up’ option should the cargo aircraft involved need to land and refuel.”

This comes not long after it was announced that the Royal Air Force is on high alert this month in order to track cargo flights from the Arctic region.

RAF on high alert due to increased Arctic activity

An MoD spokesman had this to say:

“Interception is part of what the QRA force do. We have to identify and confirm who or what is flying through our airspace or approaching our airspace and since the craft appears at the same time each year, we have a fairly good idea who will be flying but we don’t take any chances.”

The Ministry of Defence used satellites with infra-red sensors to track the aircraft last time this happened, it is understood that the heat from an animals red nose was clearly visible and it was at this point RAF aircraft began escorting the bright red aircraft over every British city, town and village.

UPDATE: We understand the provisions HMS Queen Elizabeth has been loaded with include Brandy and small biscuits. Also, this is just a Christmas joked designed to brighten your day in case you haven’t yet realised.

Avatar photo
George has a degree in Cyber Security from Glasgow Caledonian University and has a keen interest in naval and cyber security matters and has appeared on national radio and television to discuss current events. George is on Twitter at @geoallison
Subscribe
Notify of
guest

61 Comments
oldest
newest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
A&Daccountant
A&Daccountant
2 years ago

You had me until the second paragraph you snake! I was hooked on the story. Thanks for another great year at UKDJ George.

Daniele Mandelli
Daniele Mandelli
2 years ago

Not catching me, a good old traditional George Christmas post.

“Admiral Feliz Navidad” Lol. “Elf Sufficient” makes me think more of Tolkien’s Elves than little helpers these days but there you go.

Watcherzero
Watcherzero
2 years ago

Please, please stop posting these.
They are cringeworthy and we are not children.

Supportive Bloke
Supportive Bloke
2 years ago
Reply to  Watcherzero

Why not?

It is George’s site he can do what he wants.

It is something to tease the kids with……

Maybe chill out a bit?

Jonathan
Jonathan
2 years ago
Reply to  Watcherzero

Nothing wrong with tapping into your inner child now and then helps develop balance when everything is dark.

Marked
Marked
2 years ago
Reply to  Watcherzero

Shut up. Some of us have children we show these to.

Gylian Griffin
Gylian Griffin
2 years ago
Reply to  Marked

Well said!

Geoff Roach
Geoff Roach
2 years ago
Reply to  Watcherzero

Shame on you. It’s Christmas. My grandchildren and I are looking forward to being looked after by the adults! Mind you George …you’re all at sea with this one….Merry Christmas.

Alan Reid
Alan Reid
2 years ago
Reply to  Watcherzero

Hi Watcherzero – The Christmas post is a UKDJ tradition, and how we love to groan and roll our eyes every year!

Watcherzero
Watcherzero
2 years ago
Reply to  Alan Reid

Its not ‘the’ christmas post, its usually 3 or 4 posts.
This story is the third one this December and we still have a week to go.

Last edited 2 years ago by Watcherzero
Tams
Tams
2 years ago
Reply to  Watcherzero

“When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up.”

Clearly, you are not a man yet. Perhaps one year.

Jacob Marley
Jacob Marley
2 years ago
Reply to  Watcherzero

I can see someone getting a visit from the ghost of Christmas past. 😁😁😁

Something Different
Something Different
2 years ago
Reply to  Watcherzero

Bah humbug to you too! Please keep posting these George!

Sean the real Sean
Sean the real Sean
2 years ago

You know with every thing as it is this was a not a good idea , irrespective of the intent you guys must be aware of automated triggers for Bayesian derived bot analysis . Plus if English is you second language you might just file this as reaffirmation of an proactive stance in regards of the Ukraine and there cannot be anyone here unaware of just how dangerous a situation were in right now .

The Artist Formerly Known As Los Pollos Chicken
The Artist Formerly Known As Los Pollos Chicken
2 years ago

Dangerous situation? 😃I’d bet my mortgage and your pension that there is nothing remotely dangerous about anything in Ukraine right now for anybody other than the people of that joint. The West will do absolutely Didley squat if Russia invades it’s a gigantic nothing burger as these crazy yanks like to say. And so this is Christmas I hope you have fun, the near and the dear ones the old and the young they will all be amazed at how a RN article about a mission to the artic has descended into chatter about a supposedly dangerous land conflict in… Read more »

Tommo
Tommo
2 years ago

Yeah it’s a Lump of Coal for him , which is so a Fossil and also too add insult Ba bloody Humbug Ukraine I’ll Lower 🙄

Jonathan
Jonathan
2 years ago

None of that thankyou Artist, everyone knows Santa is a proud Englishman, that’s why he’s decked out in Red and White, with not a blue insight.

The Artist Formerly Known As Los Pollos Chicken
The Artist Formerly Known As Los Pollos Chicken
2 years ago
Reply to  Jonathan

😂

🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🎅🏼

Klonkie
Klonkie
2 years ago

Oh I don’t know about that .I’m sure the EU would send a sternly worded letter to Mr Puttin to please cease and desist his invasion.

Merry Xmas Mate.

The Artist Formerly Known As Los Pollos Chicken
The Artist Formerly Known As Los Pollos Chicken
2 years ago
Reply to  Klonkie

Aye and a merry Christmas to yourself amigo

🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Hamish
Hamish
2 years ago
Reply to  George Allison

Greta will be displeased George 😉

George Allison
Admin
2 years ago
Reply to  Hamish

Most people probably would be.

James Fennell
James Fennell
2 years ago

😀

Mark
Mark
2 years ago

At first I was like, How the hell does a 60+ thousand ton ship do anything in secret…

ChariotRider
ChariotRider
2 years ago

😄😄

Merry Christmas everyone. Stay safe.

CR

Clive Cartey
Clive Cartey
2 years ago

I agree with WatcherZero ….very sorry, the article is purile. IF the UK Defence Journal is meant to be a serious endeavour for serious reading about a subject that is not a joke then please stop this type of childish low level ‘humour’. However, I do thank the UKDJ for its work and wish everyone well for a happy Christmas.

geoff
geoff
2 years ago
Reply to  Clive Cartey

Come on Clive”Bah Humbug” Cartey. The UKDJ IS a serious endeavour but once a year we have a little fun.
Cheers

Tams
Tams
2 years ago
Reply to  Clive Cartey

If you’re going to be such a Stooge, then don’t bother wishing anyone a ‘Merry Christmas’.

Clive Cartey
Clive Cartey
2 years ago
Reply to  Tams

You don’t even know me or my background plus you need to actually understand the character that Dickens created before throwing around the word ‘Stooge’. Goes back to my original point really.

Clive Cartey
Clive Cartey
2 years ago
Reply to  Tams

Actually.. SCROOGE not “Stooge”

Dorset Cluve
Dorset Cluve
2 years ago
Reply to  Clive Cartey

You mean the same way NORAD remains serious every single second of every day, 365 days a year…

https://www.noradsanta.org/en/

Nigel Collins
Nigel Collins
2 years ago

Could this be it? HoHoHo

Andrew D
Andrew D
2 years ago

Well done George 🎅

Tommo
Tommo
2 years ago

Elf and Safety looked Into as well hope so

Tams
Tams
2 years ago

You had me at first!

Cheeky George! Hope you don’t get coal.

Andy reeves
Andy reeves
2 years ago

Haven’t we seen this before?

Daniele Mandelli
Daniele Mandelli
2 years ago
Reply to  Andy reeves

Every Christmas, often two or three times. And Don’t forget April.

Tommo
Tommo
2 years ago

Can’t wait till April hopefully I’ll be in Italy helping with the Spagetti harvest Daniele

Zenko Blaszkiw
Zenko Blaszkiw
2 years ago

I don’t think the writer has got the right end of the stick over the deployment of the Typhoon’s and what the ramps are for Launching “DRONES” not full size fighters

Tony
Tony
2 years ago

Thank you for cheering up me and my family.
Gave us all a good laugh, though the youngest took it quite seriously !

McCormack
McCormack
2 years ago

Wonder where Thier goin? Oh right It’s a secret…aye right 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Jonathan
Jonathan
2 years ago

Is there not a danger here that the first generation magic of Christmas produced navigation radar that equips Santa’s ride may not detect a Fifth generation stealth aircraft. Risking a mid air collision. I think we need to get Elf and safety in that right away.

Barry Larking
Barry Larking
2 years ago

Nice one George.

Thanks for all your work in this difficult year. Much appreciated.

Simon Ferguson
Simon Ferguson
2 years ago

Ummm…April’s aweigh off..

Max Jones
Max Jones
2 years ago

‘Secret mission’ sort of gives it away but I was still looking forward to hearing about an impromptu carrier deployment.

Joe Soap
Joe Soap
2 years ago

Okay, okay I get it. You know, humour can be a powerful ‘weapon’ but we don’t deploy it enough. Well done UKDJ. 😊🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿❤️

Kev.
Kev.
2 years ago

Excellent little story and it brightened my morning up. 🇬🇧

Johan
Johan
2 years ago

Are the Red Arrows providing air cover, amazed the amount of Jelly Heads who flag this without reading the story on FB. they will get you banned.

Tom Keane
Tom Keane
2 years ago

I think the word ‘sensitive’ is more apt to this tale. ‘We are secretly sending our biggest ship on a secret mission’.

Who writes this drivel.

George Allison
George Allison
2 years ago
Reply to  Tom Keane

Hi Tom, my name is displayed above the article and also in a massive box titled ‘About the author’. You’d know that if you’d actually read the article. More to the point, you’d also have noticed this is a Christmas joke…

Tom Keane
Tom Keane
2 years ago
Reply to  George Allison

I knowed wot you thunk I didn’t knowed … I was looking to provoke a response (not necessarily from you). I hope you have a very Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year.

J. Johnson
J. Johnson
2 years ago

I got to NATO Admiral Feliz Navidad and thought “WTF?” and as I continued reading my brain twig it and I started laughing.

Suggestion for future: NATO US Admiral Robert Sleigh and VA Toby Oggan 😄

Barry Charles Searle
Barry Charles Searle
2 years ago

Happy Xmas.
Will Miss Claus will also be helping

Dietmar
Dietmar
2 years ago

Can we get a live stream then?
Everyone on the planet loves the British Empire secret stuff!

Steve Reynolds
Steve Reynolds
2 years ago

Hopefully a large consignment of night vision carrots will be included in the stores for inflight refuelling deployment..