The jets and warships of HMS Queen Elizabeth’s Carrier Strike Group have “unleashed their firepower during high-octane live firing exercises” on Pacific firing ranges, according to the Royal Navy.
The Royal Navy say that the windswept Farallon de Medinilla outcrop – in the middle of the Mariana Islands in the western Pacific – was struck by weapons fired from three F-35 jet squadrons (two from HMS Queen Elizabeth and the other from amphibious assault ship USS America) and the naval guns of HMS Kent, Defender and HNLMS Evertsen.
HMS Kent, HMS Defender and HNLMS Evertsen joined F-35 fighters from HMS Queen Elizabeth and U.S. Marines ashore for a coordinated Naval Gunfire Support exercise aimed at delivering shore bombardment from the sea. pic.twitter.com/l9Tx9vr7bl
— George Allison (@geoallison) August 20, 2021
According to a Royal Navy news release:
“HMS Queen Elizabeth, HMS Kent, HMS Defender and HNLMS Evertsen of the CSG – which is currently on a seven-month deployment to Indo-Pacific and back – linked up with the Expeditionary Strike Group 7 and the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit in the Philippine Sea in waters close to an uninhabited tropical island for two days of intensive gunnery training. The windswept Farallon de Medinilla outcrop – in the middle of the Mariana Islands in the western Pacific – was struck by weapons fired from three F-35 jet squadrons (two from HMS Queen Elizabeth and the other from amphibious assault ship USS America) and the naval guns of HMS Kent, Defender and HNLMS Evertsen.
This barrage was called in by specialists from the United States Marine Corps – known as Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTACs) – who landed on the island tasked with coordinating firepower from the F-35s and warships, bringing a hail of lead and steel down on targets across the island.
This was the fiery opening phase of two weeks of training with US allies for the UK Carrier Strike Group, who are fresh from a port visit to Guam, the largest and southernmost of the Mariana Islands.The intensity of the exercises increased throughout the two-day training, with air support being drawn in from F-35s on the first day before the CSG ships arrived offshore the following morning and established communications.
The training wrapped with F-35B, mortars and naval gunfire being coordinated together in an impressive showing of firepower.”
Earlier in the month, HMS Queen Elizabeth and her Carrier Strike have arrived in Guam. You can read more about that here.
What is the UK Carrier Strike Group doing?
HMS Queen Elizabeth is the deployed flag ship for Carrier Strike Group 21 (CSG21), a deployment that will see the ship and her escorts sail to the Asia-Pacific and back.
The Carrier Strike Group includes ships from the United States Navy, the Dutch Navy, and Marines from the US Marine Corps as well as air assets from 617 Sqn, 820 NAS, 815 NAS and 845 NAS.
The Royal Navy say that the UK’s Carrier Strike Group will visit more than one fifth of the world’s nations. Led by HMS Queen Elizabeth, the task group will visit 40 nations including India, Japan, Republic of Korea and Singapore in a deployment covering 26,000 nautical miles.
“While in the Pacific, ships from the Carrier Strike Group will mark the 50th anniversary of the Five Powers Defence Agreement between Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and the UK by taking part in Exercise Bersama Lima. Joining HMS Queen Elizabeth on her maiden deployment are destroyers HMS Diamond and Defender; frigates HMS Richmond and Kent; an Astute-class submarine in support below the waves; and Royal Fleet Auxiliary support ships RFA Fort Victoria and RFA Tidespring.
More than 30 aircraft will also embark across the task group including F-35 jets from 617 Squadron, the Dambusters, and the US Marine Corps’ VMFA-211; Wildcat helicopters from 815 Naval Air Squadron and Merlin helicopters from 820 and 845 Naval Air Squadrons. Royal Marines from 42 Commando will also deploy with the carrier. Dutch frigate HNLMS Evertsen and American Arleigh Burke destroyer USS The Sullivans are also part of the strike group.”
Currently however, HMS Diamond isn’t with the group after suffering a defect. You can read more about that here. HMS Queen Elizabeth and her Carrier Strike Group will also undertake anti-submarine exercises whilst in the Pacific region.
Father to a motherless daughter. Sister to a fatherless uncle. Auntie to a Grannyless ! I’ll get my coat. 
I have some tablets that can help….honest.
Anyone who knows me will tell you it’s too late. 
We had a total fantasist on the boat when the film came out and we coined the phrase “On my order…. unleash Terry”.
Been inserted with the SBS when they were a man down that the boat he was on was putting them ashore etc, etc…. If you’d been to Tenerife for your holiday, he’d been to Elevenorife.
Utterly tragic, he was a grown man and a Senior Rate too. You get them though.
‘Unleash Terry’
In this world or the next!
Bang bang
“Unleashes hell”? Right 😎
Being stuck out here in the Last Outpost of the British Empire I haven’t a clue what you chaps are on about but something in the above has unleashed a Demon that have made you all slightly bonkers. Please enlighten me. Also and again, we are in a bit of a backwater here, talking of Hell I stumbled quite by accident on a You Tube of The Royal Marines at the Albert Hall playing extracts from Two Steps from Hell including,inter alia(thats Latin) Evergreen,Dragon Wings etc.. What a performance!!! In the unlikely event that any of yous first worlders haven’t… Read more »
The film Gladiator with Russel Crowe. Watch it and you’ll understand. 
Great film. But irritated me as a keen Roman Empire/Roman Legions buff how the Cohorts did not unleash their Pilum as the barbarian hordes of the Macomanni attacked. That is basic stuff!
And the legions should then have became a meat grinder with their low stabs with the dagger while pushing/ punching with the shield. while in formation, denying space for the enemy to wield their longer weapons. Not this wild John Wayne free for all with swords flying everywhere.
Rant over!
Wonderful rant Daniele and thanks for the info!👏😂
Morning my friend. Ramblings more like. Lovely day here for a change.
That’s what bothered you? Not the Germans chanting in Zulu?
No. Thought they were hillarious.
But ancient Germans did chant in battle.
Have a look a Matt Easton’s channel Scholagladitoria. He has done some practical experiments with reproduction pila against shields. The results are a bit scary if you’re holding the shield.
The assumption that the pilum’s spike was made of soft iron is wrong. Rather then bending when caught in the shield. The narrow spike made from steel allowed it to pass further through the shield and therefore more likely to hit the person holding it.
That’s interesting, i too had also always believed the spike was designed to bend so to weigh the opponents shield down forcing them to discard it.
I will check it out.
Quite right DavyB & yes it’s a fantastic channel I’ve enjoyed many years. Probable reason pila are not shown being used in films is they’d be too dangerous to imitate the effect.
Ah-thanks David
Well, experts proclaim a T23 has the radar cross section of a rowing boat or some such and the T45 even bettret… not sure the thermal signature is as efficient.
Depends if the engines are working!
You’re going to hell for that one 😉
In these modern times it would appear that all ships are sitting ducks and a waste of money. On the other hand they are useful in simple wars which may not escalate into World Wars.