The Carrier Air Wing that will embark aboard HMS Prince of Wales represents the cutting edge of UK combat aviation.
Air Wing Commander Captain Colin McGannity RN outlined the formidable aerial component.
“We’ll start with 18 F-35B UK Lightning aircraft, and that will grow to 24 throughout the deployment. We’ll also start with 16 UK helicopters, and also three flights of uncrewed air vehicles.”
Captain McGannity noted the collective effort: “There’s 750 people in the UK Carrier Air Wing… They get on board exactly like Will said after some time at home, and those aircraft will fly on next week.”
“It’s important to recognise the amount of work that is being done at three air stations ashore… RAF Marham, RNAS Culdrose, and Yeovilton… with some really, really talented and dedicated people.”
The capabilities on display are a step beyond anything previously fielded: “The Merlin Mark 2 is just light years ahead of the Sea King that it replaced… The Wildcat… can protect the strike group both from surface vessels and from air threats as well.”
On the F-35B, McGannity didn’t hold back: “The jet is just absolutely incredible… the capability that the fifth Gen aircraft brings is just incredible, absolutely eye-watering.”
Commodore Blackmore added: “This deck will operate more aircraft than we’ve operated in the UK before, in this class carrier… by far more than we operated in the Invincible class.”
McGannity concluded: “It’s a really huge privilege of mine to lead that team… It really is. It’s the pinnacle of a career for me. I’m massively looking forward to it and serving the people that will also be serving us as well.”
Carrier Strike Group 25 will not only mark the UK’s return to full carrier strike—but its arrival as a peer-level air power at sea.
A real feeling of pride.
So that’s an air group with 40 British aircraft 24(f) and 16(h) + drones deployed to the other side of the world with more 5th generation aircraft on a ship that has ever been done by anyone else in the history of humanity (previous record is 20 by USMC)
I’m sure someone will come along shortly to tell us how s**t we are.
Well, after 9 years of ops, we are half way there I suppose…… I wonder if we’ll ever get to see a full load (as designed to carry some 20 odd years ago).
Just needs the weapons integrated now. I wonder what the helicopter force consists of and what drones are in those flights. MQ-9 maybe?
There will always be the nay-sayers and those with an anti-British agenda, plus those who just can’t seem to be able to help themselves being negative about our country.
HMG could wave a magic wand, up defence spending to 3+%, build more of everything and send off a carrier with 36x F-35s, plus helicopters and drones, 2-3 destroyers and frigates each, plus a pair of Astutes, all of which armed to the teeth, and they’ll still find something to moan about.
It is a great achievement.
The various RAF manoeuvres which got as far a Tom Sharpe in the Telegraph and he is usually quite on it as well as the planted conversation from an ‘RAF guy’ on NL the other week [I don’t think he was RAF at all in retrospect and was just stirring things up for others] which suggested that a deployment of 16 with 8 on board for the whole deployment was all RN could hope for due for slow force generation and parts.
This deployment level seems realistic to me with six/eight jets returning to Marham early so that training and build up can continue.
Sixteen to eighteen jets is a very substantial force in its own right.
It’s a great achievement, but people are rightly concerned about the state of the RN escort fleet and RFA. I believe both will be experiencing a revival within the next 5 years though, with frigate deliveries galore and construction started on the new RFA vessels. My concern across all military branches is manpower, but hopefully that can be offset by reduced crewing requirements on ships / planes / vehicles (although this is often offset by increased maintenance requirements).
But overall I share your enthusiasm for this deployment! Look forward to seeing the pictures and videos. Hopefully we play our part in the Red Sea too.
F35B, missing guns?
Amazing capability. 2nd only to the US. With still much more to come.
Tell the truth. The F35B is still not FOC I believe and exactly what munitions is it already cleared to use? Not many I fear.
Also a Voyager tanker ac is going with the fleet to refuel these limited range ac.
Not that the RN will admit any of this of course. Still very Nelsonian I fear….
Hi.. Jim. Could not agree more.. Impressive to see. I did read few days back about Argus possibly joining the task group later on during the deployment Look forward to seeing how the carrier task group progresses over the coming months.
I do think the term “unleash” is a tad overstated.