The next phase of Exercise Steadfast Defender 24 has started.

F-35B jets are now exercising in the Arctic skies over Norway, launching from HMS Prince of Wales, to simulate defending NATO from Russian attack.

NATO warships RECENTLY joined HMS Prince of Wales for the start of exercises off the UK coast. The carrier and her task force practised sailing in close formation and learned how different navies operate as they began Joint Warrior – testing the readiness of the UK Carrier Strike Group and its ability to deter threats.

Royal Navy frigate HMS Portland and tankers RFA Tideforce and Tidespring joined Prince of Wales last week and their numbers were bolstered by Royal Canadian ship Navy Halifax-class frigate HMCS Charlottetown; Spanish Navy Alvaro de Bazan-class air defence frigate SNS Cristobal Colon and Danish Navy Iver Huitfeldt-class frigate HMDS Niels Juel.

HMS Prince of Wales is now under NATO command for the first time since 2022.

George Allison
George Allison
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
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27 COMMENTS

    • I wonder if this has anything to do with the TR3/Block 4 delays.

      The combination of delaying F/A-XX development and shutting down F/A-18 production may not go well for Navy leadership when they testify to lawmakers.
      “In terms of what comes at the top of the list, it is readiness. It is people. It is the today issues that we have to get on top of,” Navy Under Secretary Erik Raven told reporters while speaking alongside Reynolds. “Where our guidance directs us to take risk is in future modernization.”

      Details on what F/A-XX may look like have been thin, aside from DoD officials emphasizing that the Navy and Air Force have no interest in repeating the joint design experience from the F-35.

      A Navy spokesperson told Breaking Defense last August that the service “has identified operational reach, capacity, long-range kill chains, autonomy, and next-generation survivability as key enablers in the Air Wing of the Future and supporting Family of System.”

      Courtesy of Breaking Defence

      https://

      breakingdefense.com/2024/03/navy-delaying-next-gen-f-a-xx-fighter-spending-for-near-term-investments/?utm_medium=email&_hsmi=297809785&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8CapTEBL7A1DichIm0YhD1jBF6-VAePaz1ClpjaudGOeW735HfTwayTLOegbf-gtgm_PzCMso004gl2D3sLLxQ5zuN_w&utm_content=297809785&utm_source=hs_email

      • Hi Nigel, we’ve noticed your practice of sharing entire articles from other sources within your comments, accompanied by links to the original content. Whilst we understand the intention behind this—to add value to the conversation—we must address some important considerations that necessitate a change in this practice.

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      • An interesting difference in tone between the go getting U.S. attitude and the it’s delayed, it’s a problem,it’s not our fault attitude of the MOD. The most interesting word is “readiness” which you and I and some others have been banging on about for as long as I can remember. There is no point hiding behind numbers of we’ve got X Y or Z if the they’re not ready for action.
        Two news items on the F35 this week. To paraphrase one says “Oh dear, more issues” and the other “Lockheed to forge ahead”.The wonders of the press.🙄 Work that out.

    • Firstly, why Scotland? Norway is like Scotland geography but… More? In every way?
      Secondly, there’s really no point trying to defend with armour against anti ship missiles. They arrived faster than a shell does and weigh more, with more bang inside. You might as well spend the topweight and money on missiles and CIWS.
      Not that we’ve done either.

  5. I think it would be a good idea when a NATO warship shoots down a Houthi missile in the red sea they should have some sort of recognition like a star painted on the side of the ship similar to like when a jet fighter shot down another jet fighter in the second world war..I think H.M.S.Dimond are owed a couple of stars so far

    • HMS Diamond actually has 9 Kills painted on her side…. 9 pictures of 3 different types of weapons destroyed.

  6. Please does anyone know what percentage of time the QE has actually spent being available compared to requiring repairs. I only ever seem to catch bad press. Teething troubles I understand but surely enough is enough. Sad inditment of British workers/ industry

    • Unfortunately when you have a ship that size, with that amount of technology on it, which works constantly when it’s out on sea it does happen, no car is 100% fault proof, these machines do need maintenance and sometimes its maintenance that can’t be done at sea! They all come in and out for some tlc, repairs etc, not just ours but every country,
      The navy hasn’t just been in the red sea, its put 90% of the year usually above Scotland where the main Russian threat is with their subs, and QE 1 is one of our bigger battle ships, and 2 holds the sonar to detect the Russian subs,
      There was 3 Russian subs last month sneaking around our waters, hence why we have a lot of ships around us at the moment, unfortunately we are needed in too any places at once. And under the budget cuts they are dealing with at the moment I think they are doing a fantastic job. Definitely not something yourself or myself is trained in

      • Hi Sherrie, thanks for your contribution, I grant that our services are being asked to do far too much with the limited resources they have but here’s the rub, our MOD seem to think that our brave but highly put upon service personnel would be able to cope in conflicts they may find themselves. Training is one thing but no matter how realistic you make it it’s never the same as the real thing. RAF fighters flying nicely past your vessel while you shoot them down doesn’t train you for dodging anti ship missiles.
        I asked my question because I was only catching bad press, QE having to be replaced by POW and visa versa for exercises. I wasn’t critising the crews.
        Service personnel let down by MOD and their own bosses as it seems there is no oversight during design and construction of any weapons platforms.
        One other point, I’ve never served in the RN but I have served our dearly departed Majesty

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