HMS Prince of Wales headed deep inside the Arctic Circle for a rare visit to the Norwegian island of Jan Mayen as part of efforts by the UK to underline its commitment to security in the high north.
The Royal Navy say here that HMS Prince of Wales and her escort frigate HMS Richmond sailed to the frozen unpopulated outcrop – about 340 miles north of Iceland and roughly 280 miles east of Greenland – as the aircraft carrier goes through intensive exercises in operating in the harsh cold weather of the Arctic.
“Seven sailors landed on Jan Mayen to meet the Norwegian personnel stationed there, in the shadow of the glacier-covered volcano Beerenberg and surrounded by dramatic views, to forge closer bonds between Norway and the UK. The aircraft carrier arrived at Jan Mayen – named after Dutch seafarer and explorer Jan Jacobszoon May van Schellinkhout – in the Arctic Ocean soon after a visit to Iceland and the largest military exercises in the Arctic since the Cold War alongside NATO allies and partners.
During the exercises in Norway, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, visited HMS Prince of Wales to reaffirm the UK’s commitment to security in the Arctic and announce regular Royal Navy and Royal Marines deployments to the high north.”
HMS Prince of Wales recently completed a four-day visit to Reykjavik.
“Being the first fifth generation aircraft carrier to visit Iceland has been a proud moment for our ship’s company as we continue our operations, alongside NATO Allies and JEF partners in the Arctic,” said Capt Higham.
The ship will continue north for further cold weather tests in the coming days before returning to the UK.
BAE is switching the yard that will perform PIP conversion on HMS Dragon from Cammell Laird to Portsmouth to accelerate the program.
BAE Systems brings HMS Dragon PIP conversion to Portsmouth (janes.com)
Anything that speeds up the programme is welcome. These are key vessels. Need them active and available.
They have been ramping up Heavy Engineering works down south in an attempt to move work around the country.
If memory serves, the USN only maintain 8 full carrier wings for their 11 fleet carriers and 10 multi role assault ship/ light carriers
if all 11 large carriers went to war at once, they would do so with reduced air wings, although the Pentagon’s calculation was likely that not more than 8 would be disposable at any given time
Only 8 …I don’t know why they even bother…
Hi Michael, I imagine they can top up those numbers with Marine F18 units.
Please Jay, change the record. It’s been explained numerous times why there are currently no F35’s available, why the POW deployed on this C&C exercise with helicopters only and why the buy rate of F35’s is what it is.
Change the record, it makes you sound less than intelligent, when others have explained, at length, the reasoning for each of these “issues”.
Typhoons from Lossiemouth; aircraft assigned to the Iceland air policing mission (coverage isn’t all year but wouldn’t be surprised if some land-based fighters were there as part of Cold Warrior); CAMM onboard HMS Richmond and the fact it is likely to be a Bear rather than a Backfire.
No man is an island and in the 21st century, no ship or any other asset is alone. They are all part of an integrated system. A bigger whole.
Plus, we are not actually at war with Russia.
Yep. 👍
NATO Article 5?
HMS defender
https://www.raf.mod.uk/news/articles/raf-participates-in-norwegian-led-nato-exercise/ f35 B was there
They came from RAF Marham, not the PoW carrier.
Jesus man, it doesn’t work like that. It isn’t a Tom Clancy novel.
Damm, that’s where we’re all going wrong then mate!!🤣🤣🤣👍
🤣 some of these guys need to lay off playing Call of Duty 😄
CoD = Cash on Delivery?
Come on fess up I bet you’ve read red storm rising at some point ?
He probably doesn’t read hence his issues understanding the subject matter!
Say it to an MP then, or demonstrate outside Downing Street. Ranting on a website isn’t going to change anything. Carrier’s deploy on exercises without lots of aircraft sometimes. The French do the same, so do the Italian’s and the Spanish. The Americans have a vastly larger defence budget. And American carrier’s can’t just pop over to Norway for a quick exercise when they are deploying from Virginia. And we are getting more F35s. 48 are on order, more to come after that. Loyal Wingman in the works for strike, AEW, and possibly A2A refueling. It takes time, it costs a lot of money. We went 10 years without any carrier’s,and only small ones before that. The Invincible class went to sea many times and took part in many exercises without Harriers on-board. It’s nothing new. Even if we had 138 F35s available, we would see the carrier’s go to sea without fixed wing jets. That’s the advantage of VSTOL aircraft, they don’t need as much time at sea to keep the pilots and skills current. Cats n traps do. It might look very TopGun, but it’s a huge training burden.
True. PoW was not on a carrier strike operation or training evolution (the clue was that there was only 1 escort with her, rather than 7 or 8), so did not need strike aircraft.
Our carriers have many roles/tasks, unlike US carriers, and they do not always need a full air wing of F-35s embarked.
When I was in the army, we deployed on operations or training with what we needed, and left stuff behind that was not. A Warrior battalion would not have served in NI with their full fleet of Warriors!
Bravo Robert.
What if the sun doesn’t’ take come up Jay? Very easy to come up with what if scenario’s…
well thats unlikely to happen ..very unlikely , very very unlikely …very very very unlikely …and so on and so forth.
Never say never…
I would not worry Andrew, if the sun did not come up we would all be dead within a year, the last few may hang on for a bit of time after that in a futile wait for death…some things just are not worth the stress.
Copy and paste as usual, yawn.
What is stopping a Backfire bomber hitting the carrier in the high North today or next week? We are not at war with Russia so that won’t happen. However surely Norway as a NATO ally would provide air cover from land bases if WW3 started as quickly as you think it might.
However I agree that as a Tier 1 nation we should probably have more than 23 aircraft in service – I wonder how many other non-US nations have received? Are we being treated unfairly?
I agree we have too many capability gaps – it was ever thus. There are no votes in Defence, unfortunately. Perhaps the politicos think there is the luxury of time to close out capability gaps – if so they are naiive. The army aren’t going to replace their 50-year-old recce vehicles, 35-year-old IFVs and 30-year-old AS90s anytime soon.
Wolf,
PoW was not on a Carrier Strike operation or training evolution so why would it embark strike aircraft – and it is the reason it had no more than one escort.
Our carriers have roles and tasks other than Carrier Strike. We did not need F-35s on the carrier for the job it was doing.
I do agree we should not have any gaps in capability but the reality is that the international, US-led F-35B programme lags behind our national carrier programme. Nothing we can do about that.
OK before moaning about only having 23 aircraft, you are aware they are only 13 Active F35 pilots in the UK service. UK has never over purchased, and the QE Class is a 50 years scheme. BUT IS THE ONLY 5TH GEN CARRIER @ SEA, and the UK HAS 2, name one other. Ford Class is in for re-fit and still cannot launch its 5th gen fighters. IF is a big word, and Russia cannot destroy anything that can fire back,
Ok ignore cost for one little minute,
NAO report into Fast Jet Pilot training was very damming on the training program.
1/ The new Aircraft for the flight school were delayed.
2/ Civilian Training was used for Multi Engine training
3/ F35s training was taking 2.5 years to complete.
4/ Tonka step over only produced one F35 Pilot.
5/ Pandemic stopped all pilot training for 18 months.
6/ Hawk T1s are 4 decades from a F35s
so while we have 23 serviceable aircraft the UK has only 13 F35s pilots. due to the above.
UK Now trains 10s of fast pilots a year, USA trains 1000s, law of the average tells you the pilot pool is lower.
the current Pilot training is well behind the line and will take some time to correct,
look outside the USA who operates more F35s than the UK, its not a easy bird to fly.
Cool as fuck, that picture is spot on.
👍
Cold, you meant cold.
Talking of Arctic, still waiting for MoD to release their strategy paper on the subject.
Wasn’t it published on 29th March 2022?
If it was I missed it!
Does the U.K. have a card to play in the artic? Thought it was only Norway, Canada, USA, Denmark and Russia that would have a claim.
RM have always trained to operate in the high North. It has come recently to me the news that RN does this too – their old Cold War area was Eastern Atlantic (including GRIUK gap, now seemingly called GIUK gap) and English Channel approaches.
I meant Norway. Much of Norway’s land mass is arctic and the RM have deployed there for decades.
Yes they tried operating a CVN as helicopter platform in IO on the 2000’s was a disaster.
The USN? Do you have a few more details? Why would they do that when they have amphibious assault shipping that can take helos, like USS America-class.
Yes. And so do all other nations that operate aircraft carriers.
Jay, you sound critical of PoW deploying without F-35s? [I am sure it had some helicopters on it].
BTW, in the army we went on exercise without live rounds, live mines, live GMLRS etc.
Our carriers have multiple roles, the lead one being Carrier Strike. The other roles/tasks include: C2, FON, Show of Force, HADR, amphibious ops support. PoW was neither doing Carrier Strike nor training for Carrier Strike, so needed no F35s – in fact they haven’t all been built yet, don’t you know?
If I were a Russian I would pick up that the British could easily operate a carrier and escorts deep inside the Arctic Circle and have the intent to do so if required – that was the intention. Without a working carrier of their own, they could be very wary of intervening in some way in the High North.
Well said 👍
Spot on.
That is a great photo!
Trouble is it’s all about signaling – remember the reaction of Argentina when Endurance was pulled out? Or more recently our turning a blind eye to Crimea.. A carrier with no planes isn’t a good look – and people do look. It’s true that we’re all a bit tired of saying / hearing it on here – but that doesn’t make it any less painful. The fiscal situation ain’t the best – totally get that – but can’t help but think that an investment now would pay significant dividends. Trouble is that the price is easy to tot up but the value isn’t – at least not to the majority of politicians or the electorate for that matter. You would have thought that Ukraine would have been enough to loosen the purse strings but it seems like it’s no go.
It does however prove to those looking that both carriers can be manned and operated at the same time, which numerous doom monger on here and other places said we didnt even have the crew to manage that.
So yes those looking are taking notice in various ways.
Exactly 👍😃
Maybe that was part of the point of the deployment?
Yep, and to demonstrate our ability and political intent to send a carrier and escort (and read into that a CSG in future) to the High North.
Going sideways a bit on this – the QE recently did a mamoth deployment with F35s, choppers, other national vessels etc. Didn’t she visit 40 countries or thereabouts. from UK to the Pacific? THAT was showing the flag, all round the world.
What still annoys me is that the CSG hardly got more than 10 minutes, total, on the BBC (a few minutes when the Queen went aboard). I emailed one of the BBC’s well known defence correspondents to ask why this was and he said someone (independent) was making a documentary about the deployment and it would be broadcast in due course. Not so far, it ain’t. Anyone heard any more on this?
The QE did sail with a journalist/film maker on board, to cover the deployment. Can’t remember what his name is, but believe that he is producing a documentary about it. Absolutely no idea when it’s due out though. So, no help really!!
The entire UK contribution other than the fabulous worship. Was absolutely defective. Couldn’t Even come close to filling the worship with fast jets. And one might want to look at the helicopter inventory for the Royal Navy and their weapons. And let’s just stop with the tape 45 problems… If there’s an actual real war going on anywhere like there is now… There is no way in God’s green earth that the UK is going to be able to deploy these ships with a functional air group or anything resembling a self-defense capability for themselves without massive contributions from their allies. And that may or may not happen. That’s the reason those countries invest in that. They use them for their own best interest.
do we need to deploy a UK only carrier fleet, who are we going to attack on our own. we had a world tour last year, willing nations came alongside it was a success in international cooperation probably china got a message.
i can see that countries operating F35B at sea will likely work closer together in the future.
the french have gone for electric catapults , they will have to develop a 5 th gen carrier fighter, a lot to achieve and only one carrier.
I can only think of a re-run of the Falklands conflict as an operation requiring a British only carrier fleet.
We have operated STOVL carriers for over 40 years in peace and war successfully – why change a formula that works.
Get yourself a dictionary. With your grammar and spelling, you’re in no position to lecture anyone about anything being ‘absolutely defective. ‘
“fabulous worship”……cracked me up!😂
Are you ok? You get very frothy and excited with your anti Brit posts? Calm yourself down son and maybe do some subject matter research prior to stomping on the key board with your equally angry fingers!
What’s a “worship” and a “tape 45” I have to say your English is certainly not the best……
I don’t think anyone should by more F35 until Lockheed get there fat finger out their bum and get block 4 sorted. Maybe then they would put max resources into it or offer a free upgrade deal.
As it stands Lockheed will probably put a huge price on an aircraft needing block 4 upgrade. It either has to be paid or ur stuck with the old tech aircraft.
If the U.K. takes more pre block 4 aircraft with non raf weapons integrated then most likely more amraam will need to be bought as well as any other weapons the U.K. doesn’t use elsewhere.
They need to do more for block 4. It’s been delayed for years.
I suppose thats what happens when you are reliant on one aircraft.
It is a given that the price per airframe will increase when Blk 4 aircraft are built anyway. What is going to hurt even more is when the cost over runs (currently about $2 billion and counting)are factored into the unit costs.
Not sure how the cost of upgrading older units will work, might well be on some form of sliding scale as the latest aircraft version is Blk 3F I believe?
Blk 4 brings a whole range of new weapons able to be used, unfortunately other than Meteor and Spear, the rest are US weapons which we will need to purchase first if we want to use them.
Block IV for us is all about Meteor and Spear 3, and that’s all they need apart from perhaps an Ashm. The F35B probably won’t get one but brings Spear 3 to the party with the escorts carrying the future cruise and hypersonic missiles, and subs with Spearfish. That’s a potent combination.
Yes, the aircraft only join the carrier after it has departed and they are needed. For Haiti earthquake a few years ago a big deck carrier served with just helicopters.
The wasp class have often deployed without the harriers if more helicopters were needed for that mission.
We are not at war so will not come under attack.
Jay,
We have successfully operated STOVL carriers since the early 80s in peace and war – and so have many other nations. We do not have to be a slave to US philosophy and to feel we have to only buy their equipment (what do you mean by that anyway, in this context – to have bought F-35C instead of the B model or to buy US made carriers?? – or do you mean we should buy US AFVs, naval escorts etc??
ok i will ask you a simple question
Ford Class over a QE Class, which is more of a success.
considering budget and operation, Currently.
and then ask if we had of had CATOBAR carriers in the Falklands.
UK has no need for a Strike carrier, but a Swiss army pen knife of a carrier.
Russias cruiser Moskva is reported hit by “rockets” in the Black sea & badly damaged according to BBC Ukraine live feed.
Sky are saying the same
BBC say crew taken off but fire spread to magazines.
Wiki says Odessas govenor said she was hit by 2 Ukrainian Neptune AShMs.
Has the library gone up?😂
I just read that the home office latest plan will be to send asylum seekers to Rwanda while they are processed! At a cost of over £2,000,000 each! £1.4billion a year based on current numbers and that’s before they have even started it. I’d expect it to triple at a minimum. Offer the asylum seeker half it to go somewhere.
Why they can’t get the decision done quickly is beyond me. Over a year it takes.
It won’t deter anyone just increase suffering. Rwanda isn’t known for its human rights and understanding.
Israel had a deal with Rwanda for this and stopped it. People went missing while meant to be safe. LGBTQ people rounded up by authorities etc etc.
imagine a Ukrainian showing up at Dover saying I’m fleeing the war. I speak English. Ok sir right this way, next stop Rwanda, we will send u a decision in 18 months!
Simply disgraceful.
If it was true.
is it not then….
The Ukrainians would not be young adult men trying to cross illegally having paid thousands to people smugglers. They would be women and children fleeing a war and applying legally. If 1 Ukrainian ends up in Rwanda i’ll eat my hat.
Looks like Ukraine have severely damaged the Russian Black Sea flagship cruiser Moskva with a Neptune missile. Crew have abandoned ship after ammo exploded.
The Ruskies are saying that the cause of the fire is being investigated 🤣
Well that missile hitting it may have something to do with it. Fingers crossed Ukraine has a few more.
Its suggested their military ordered 6 x batteries, but might have only 1 battery up and running with the other 5 due in service over the next 2 years. Hope they can rush out a few more units. On the upside this could have the same effect on the Russian Navy as the Belgrano did on the Argentine Navy.
It’s a big hit for Russia. I was thinking about how antiship missiles would have a hard time hitting Russian ships with the defensive missiles and CIWS systems on board. Then I read that😂
It really makes you wonder how good any of their kit really is or perhaps they just didn’t have CIWS switched on. Quite a statement though taking out the Black Sea Fleet flagship.
Seen the video on twitter. The Moskva was close inshore amongst lots of cargo ships. So great targetting by Ukranian military. The size of the fire was massive and on deck. Making me think the ship is a total loss. Likely with very high casualties.
Ammo explosion. Thatll be the huge numbers of weapons the Russian navy covers their decks with. Those massive heavy anti ship missiles Moskva carried were a clear danger of 2nd explosions. Seeing the video on twitter this morning thats what looks like happened. Hit forward and midship by 2 Neptune missiles then huge secondary explosions from deck mounted ?unarmoured cannisters for Vulture heavy anti ship missiles.
That’s a great effort for the UK.
Very grainy image on twitter of Moskva on fire. The fire is gigantic. Cant see the ship surviving that. I think the fact Russian warships have weapons proliferating all over any available deckspace means they are a 2nd explosion hazard. I think the Moskvas own Vulcan heavy ant ship missiles have probably blown up.
Total write off if not actually sunk. Good job Ukraine. More of the same needed.
In the news now. The Moskva warship seems to have been hit and severly damaged and hopefully sunk. Sweet revenge for those Ukrainian’s who lost their lives on Snake Island. Strength to Ukraine 🇺🇦, its forces, its people and President!
discrimination is what it is ……/
Hi, this will have been the reason why your account was restricted… It can take a while to approve/remove all of the pending comments.
Why do i get the impression you are the sort of chap we may witness at a B&Q customer services, bemoaning the yard broom you bought yesterday didn’t come with instructions