A vast fleet of NATO warships has assembled around the United Kingdom for Exercise Strike Warrior, a major naval exercise bringing together forces from across the alliance.
The ships currently gathered around the UK include the UK Carrier Strike Group with HMS Prince of Wales, HMS Dauntless, HMS Portland, HMS Iron Duke, RFA Tidespring, HNoMS Maud, and likely HMS Astute. NATO vessels from Standing Maritime Group One include HNLMS Van Amstel, NRP D. Francisco de Almeida, BNS Louise Marie, HDMS Niels Juel, HDMS Absalon, and FGS Magdeburg.
Additionally, the US Navy’s Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group is in the region, featuring USS Harry S. Truman, USS Gettysburg, USS Jason Dunham, USS Stout, and USNS Arctic.
This marks one of the most significant displays of military power in the region, with ships, submarines, and aircraft converging off the coast of Scotland to strengthen NATO’s collective defence and ensure the readiness of allied forces.
Powerful British Carrier Strike Group assembles off Scotland
The scenarios simulated include missile attacks, anti-submarine warfare, and surface combat, providing a rigorous test of NATO’s naval capabilities.
Central to the exercise is the UK’s Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier, HMS Prince of Wales, serving as the flagship of the UK Carrier Strike Group. Supporting the carrier are warships such as HMS Iron Duke and HMS Dauntless, alongside submarines, replenishment tankers, and helicopters. These vessels will face a variety of simulated threats, ensuring that the crews are well-prepared for real-world combat situations.
This exercise also prepares the UK Carrier Strike Group for future deployments, ensuring it remains a cutting-edge force capable of protecting NATO’s interests on the global stage.
The US Presence
Adding to the firepower is the arrival of the US Navy’s Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group, which entered the North Sea on 14th October. The strike group’s transit through the Strait of Dover and its involvement in NATO operations highlights the enduring strategic relationship between the United States and its European allies.
At the heart of the group is the USS Harry S. Truman, a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, accompanied by the guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg and the guided-missile destroyers USS Stout and USS Jason Dunham. Together, these vessels bring formidable combat power, capable of projecting air power, maintaining sea control, and engaging in both defensive and offensive operations at sea.
Rear Admiral Sean Bailey, commander of the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group, emphasised the significance of the deployment:
“Storied in world history, our transit through the Strait of Dover to operate with our Allies in the North Sea underscores our commitment to maritime security and the NATO Alliance. We will operate with our NATO Allies and partners to strengthen our collective readiness, defence, and deterrence.
Captain Dave Snowden, commanding officer of USS Harry S. Truman, expressed enthusiasm about the group’s return to this vital operational area:
“With its unique geographical and environmental characteristics, every time we operate in this region, we increase our proficiency and showcase our inherent flexibility to operate anywhere in the world.
Would love to see some pictures of both groups.
An impressive display of Naval power from the UK and allies. Also nice shot of the line of 15% British built F35s on the deck of PoW-not quite as striking as the crowded deck of the Harry Truman but still hopefully enough to shut up the “Carrier with no planes “brigade” 😃
Definitely. Mind the most of the nah sayers won’t be happy until both carriers both have at least twenty f35 ‘s each at all times. It’s about time people release this will never happen and be happy with the capability the UK has over almost every other nations with fith generation fighter jets on a flat top. 💪
Most people don’t realise that the reason US carriers have crowded decks is because they have to have crowded decks. The need for carrier qualification forces the tempo of flying opps. That’s the major risk around CATOBAR..the constantly draining of massive levels of resource. This is actually why the USN have very much stuck with the F18 as its core strike fighter, they need a mass they cannot achieve with F35.
The UK carriers on the other hand not being CATOBAR don’t have to run permanent air wings and can get away with very limited carrier qualifications as and when a pilot is deployed to the carrier. It makes for a lighter deck until needed. The reality is even if we had 4-5 squadrons of f35b and closer to 100 aircraft the carriers would still be running light a lot of the time…the RAF would rightfully not want to subject their crews and airframes to constant carrier opps when they could keep them happy and safer on nice airbases. For UK carrier ops the RN and RAF have the lucky position to be able to ensure they train just the right amount…and not thrash their crews and planes in constant deployment cycles.
Interesting info-thanks Jonathan!
Thanks for that Jonathan. I’m curios to see what shape the F18 replacement will take. Perhaps a buddy with the next gen USAAF design? Mid 2030 ‘s I imagine?
They are actually going completely differently and not going with the airforce at all. Instead they are moving forward with the F/A XX program, which will give a six generation direct replacement for the F18. It looks like they are going lighter smaller and cheaper than the US airforce 6th generation fighter. I suspect the F/A XX will be the marketable US six gen offering and the airforce programme ends up a to expensive US only limited numbers vanity job like the F22.
Thanks Jonathan. Agree re your observation on the F22 replacement.
I disagree totally. RN are far far way in training compared to USN, French and perhaps even the Italians. Only the tempo of real combat and a full ship makes for an effective training – including the ship company and air squadrons support.
Hi Alex a CATBAR pilot has a massively higher requirement for numbers of deck landings to maintain qualification than an F35b carrier based pilot. It’s literally why an F35b carrier is more economical to run and you don’t have carrier qualification issues. The French have to send their pilots to US carriers every time their carrier is in refit and have a torrid time keeping its air wing qualified with only one carrier. That’s the big difference a UK carrier can toddle off and practice other stuff like being a flag ship or doing ASW exercises or just being parked against the wall for a bit.. a US carrier has to constantly maintain its airwings qualification.. as an example there was a serious concern with new Us carriers issues with its catapult and the fact it was missing a flight day out of every 5 that it would not be able to maintain its air wings qualification…. CATBAR carriers cannot do what the RN carriers do and just throw an air wing out there for a short deployment or exercise.
Agree.
And yet, I have a visceral sympathy with those who want to see big numbers at least once. I’m really looking forward to the UK being able to field 24 F-35s on Prince of Wales next year, the culmination of the original promise of 24 in ’24 (later altered to 24 in ’25). I also want to see the RN set a new target date for fielding 36 F-35s. I don’t even care how many are USMC, so it’s not like the lack of sovereign planes is any excuse. I want to see exercises where the carrier is effectively maxed out for strike ops. It’s good to aim high.
My mind goes not just to the tests on USS Tripoli a couple of years ago but to the Nimitz surge testing in 1997, when the capabilities of USS Nimitz were stretched over a four day period to see how many sorties it could do and what limited the operations: airframe numbers, pilot numbers or maintenance numbers, and where the Navy needed to improve. It also identified which items were canabalised to keep planes running, testing out the composition of the spares inventory. Aiming for a similar 4-day surge test for the QE class around the end of the decade would have many benefits. In particular I don’t want to see 24 planes become a one-off high water mark on capability with the excuse that we’re going to fill out mass with drones at some point. Although that’s probably true, optimising man machine teaming is a task for the 2030s. There’s a lot of theory that still needs to be validated, ideally before we get into a war rather than during.
The QE class was designed for strike sortie optimisation, and it would be a shame never to see what it can do outside of simulators. I know this is getting ahead of the game, but I can dream, right?
Don’t get me wrong, you’re right I would like to see more airframes on the decks and hopefully it will come over time
To add to that and to be fair to the MoD, one of the reasons why we have such few F-35s is the delay in the Mk4 mods which will have all the bells and whistles originally planned and which is way late.
No point in ordering a bucket load of aircraft early knowing that you will have to retrofit them all later and at your expense.
Yeah the delivery rate has been disappointing but as you say, better it being right rather than rushed
Better how? You’re rolling the dice that they aren’t needed before then. A non-upgraded F-35 is still the best fighter-bomber on the planet.
well said Geoff!👍
Hello Klonkie! Hope you are well my friend
Hiya Geoff , all good with me thanks ,trust your doing well too Bud!
People often criticise the carriers for being only about expeditionary warfare, but for an island like the UK people often forget that every major threat comes from the sea and therefore a carrier battle groups can and does become the ultimate defence. If you plant a carrier battle group in the northsea and Norwegian Sea you have a massive defensive advantage in regards to any threats or incursions from Russians Barents and Kara seas bastions.
A really important and generally overlooked point. ASW groups in the GIUK gap wouldn’t last long without air cover and would struggle to provide round the clock ASW helicopter coverage without a carrier.
If WW3 breaks out our pathetic governments would discover no allies surrounding the UK and the country in an absolutely pathetic position to defend our shores.
Defend from whom exactly?