The UK Carrier Strike Group has returned to the Mediterranean to take part in large-scale NATO exercises, a move officials described as a signal of allied resolve.
Following a five-month deployment in the Indo-Pacific, HMS Prince of Wales and its strike group will participate in Falcon Strike, an Italian-led air and maritime exercise involving Italian, US and Greek forces.
The drills will test joint air combat operations and reinforce NATO’s deterrence posture across southern Europe, according to the Ministry of Defence.
Defence Minister Al Carns said deployments like this one show the UK’s readiness to act decisively alongside allies. “Spending six months away from home, on the far side of the world, ready at a moment’s notice to defend your life and the lives of your fellow shipmates is a big ask for anyone,” he said. “Training alongside NATO allies and expanding our defence relations around the world is critical to keeping us secure at home and strong abroad.”
Minister for Europe Stephen Doughty said the carrier group’s operations “send a clear signal to allies and adversaries alike of our commitment to a safer, more secure region.”
HMS Prince of Wales leads the task force of around 4,000 UK personnel, returning to Europe via the Red Sea and Suez Canal after what the government called one of the UK’s most significant overseas deployments in recent years.
During this Mediterranean phase, the group will visit ports in Greece, Albania, Italy and Spain to deepen defence and industrial partnerships.
Commodore James Blackmore, Commander of the Carrier Strike Group, said it was “fantastic to be back in the Mediterranean after a hugely successful period in the Indo-Pacific.” He added that the upcoming NATO exercises would “demonstrate the warfighting readiness of the UK Carrier Strike Group.”
The deployment, covering 26,000 nautical miles and engagements with 40 nations, underscores Britain’s aim to maintain its position as a leading European contributor to NATO operations.
One final push – hopefully the tiredness that CSG21 suffered at the same stage has not set in. Also, have the extra six F-36B’s embarked on PoW from Akrotiri yet?