Royal Navy’s flagship, the aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales is leading warships, aircraft and a submarine of the UK Carrier Strike Group into the Mediterranean ahead of major allied exercises.
Approaching the Strait of Gibraltar, the aircraft carrier formed up alongside the majority of her strike group, including an Astute-class submarine, Type 45 destroyer HMS Dauntless, Type 23 frigate HMS Richmond, RFA Tideforce and RFA Tidespring.
New arrival to the group, Spanish frigate Méndez Núñez, Norwegian ships HNoMS Maud and HNoMS Roald Amundsen were also part of the formation.
The UK Carrier Strike Group is at the start of a global deployment, having left home shores last week.
Between now and December, the Carrier Strike Group will conduct a series of exercises and operations with air, sea and land forces of a dozen allies in the Mediterranean, Middle East, Southeast Asia, Japan and Australia.
This is the second deployment of the UK’s Carrier Strike Group. The first, led by HMS Queen Elizabeth in 2021, took place against the backdrop of a world in lockdown due to the COVID pandemic.
The 2025 mission, known as Operation Highmast and commanded by Commodore James Blackmore and his staff from aboard HMS Prince of Wales, occurs in a volatile geopolitical situation.
The goal is to reaffirm the UK’s commitment to the security of the Mediterranean and Indo-Pacific region.
Over the course of the deployment, upwards of 4,500 British military personnel will be involved, including nearly 600 RAF and 900 soldiers alongside 2,500 Royal Navy sailors and Royal Marines.