HMS Queen Elizabeth is sailing with HMS Defender, HMS Diamond, HMS Northumberland, HMS Kent, RFA Fort Victoria and RFA Tideforce in addition to the USS The Sullivans and Dutch vessel HNLMS Evertsen.
It is the most powerful task force assembled by any European navy in almost 20 years.
A @NATO force to be reckoned with is now assembled in the North Sea.
This is #CarrierStrike, this is #5thGen power projection – headed by the 🇬🇧 #StrikeCarrier and the 🇬🇧 Carrier Strike Group.
Let the games begin…#WeAreHere #WeAreNATO #JW202
🇬🇧 ⚓ 🇺🇸 ⚓ 🇳🇱 ⚡ 🇬🇧 ⚓ 🇺🇸 ⚓ 🇳🇱 pic.twitter.com/Os0eUPkclt— HMS Queen Elizabeth (@HMSQNLZ) October 5, 2020
Commodore Steve Moorhouse, Commander UK Carrier Strike Group, said:
“The new UK Carrier Strike Group is the embodiment of British maritime power, and sits at the heart of a modernised and emboldened Royal Navy. Protected by a ring of advanced destroyers, frigates, helicopters and submarines, and equipped with fifth generation fighters, HMS Queen Elizabeth is able to strike from the sea at a time and place of our choosing; and with our NATO allies at our side, we will be ready to fight and win in the most demanding circumstances. Carrier Strike offers Britain choice and flexibility on the global stage; it reassures our friends and allies and presents a powerful deterrent to would-be adversaries.”
HMS Queen Elizabeth and her Strike Group are currently exercising alongside allied nations in the North Sea, as part of NATO’s largest annual exercise, Joint Warrior.
Why is this happening?
The Ministry of Defence say that the aim is to provide a complex environment in which the participants can train together, honing tactics and skills in preparation for deployment as a Combined Joint Task Force.
“The scenario for each Joint Warrior is designed to reflect contemporary political tensions – such as the War on Terror and the threat posed by ISIS – and to simulate the hostilities that might result from them. The ultimate aim? To assure maximum preparedness in the face of any threat.”
This massive multinational war exercise involves warships, aircraft, marines and troops from UK, NATO and allied forces. The exercise doesn’t only allow participating units to hone their specialist roles within a larger war-style setting – it also helps foster vital links between the UK, NATO and other allied militaries.
Nice to see a TLAM shooter in the group. That would help take out some radars and SAM systems that might cause the F-35Bs a little trouble.
I assume you mean USS The Sullivans? There will also be a RN sub in the area that carries TLAM.
yes, I hope they do not go to war
Lots of Sabres rattling around the world at present
There needs to be! With SDSR coming the RN need to shout this CG from the rafters! We all know it has lots of deficiencies and much of the wording in these articles is typical MoD spin, but better to talk yourself up than talk yourself down.. It should be in the news and in the public eye as much as possible.
The issues with Crowsnest, current lack of F35, late FSS, and ASM will all be dealt with in due course and do not in my view detract from what has been achieved so far. Those that concentrate on the negatives ( which there always will be, we are not the US military with endless resources ) do so for their own reasons.
These carrier groups are quite impressive but my query is, are we able to maintain operations elsewhere around the world at a normal tempo or do we have to make sacrifices to keep these at sea?
I am concerned that our capabilities are skin deep. I know the armed forces are underfunded but we are doing lasting damage elsewhere by prioritising resources here? Is it a worthwhile balance? I don’t know.
Well at the moment there is a-
1 x River B2 plus Argus in the Caribbean.
LPD, Bay, T45 in Med/ Black Sea
T23, 4x MCMV, 1 x Bay in Gulf.
SSBN on patrol
SSN on patrol
FRE
Plus whatever individual deployments single ships are doing now, not so sure. Survey vessels for example, other Rivers.
The RN is active and engaged. But I agree we are too thin.
HMS Forth in Falklands Daniele 🙂 29 degrees in Durban!!