Royal Navy: HMS Queen Elizabeth to leave Portsmouth for huge Nato mission in North Sea amid worldwide tensions

HMS Queen Elizabeth is due to join allies and brave harsh weather conditions in the North Sea as part of the UK Carrier Strike Group (CSG). She is due to leave HMNB Portsmouth this Sunday (February 4) and lead Exercise Steadfast Defender. The mission follows on from Operation Firedrake, where intense ship movement and aircraft exercises were carried out alongside allies from a variety of nations.

Commodore James Blackmore, Commanding Officer of the CSG, said 28 different nations and 40 vessels will be involved in several parts of the mission, with 20,000 UK personnel taking part in the exercise over four months. He said: "It’s a really exciting time for us to demonstrate our commitment to Nato and show unity towards the alliance. It shows the UK can be a leading member of Nato and allows us to prepare for future options in conflict if they were to ever arise. We’re showing deterrence, that's the very nature of why we exercise and go out and train together. It allows us to train with our nearest partners, and allows us to defend Europe at a time if we need to require it under Nato."

Tensions are building worldwide amid several conflicts. The Russia-Ukrainian war is continuing and Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have been targeting merchant ships in the Red Sea and Royal Navy vessels. Portsmouth-based Type 45 destroyer HMS Diamond has shot down nine unmanned aircraft since her deployment to the Middle East. Minister of state for the armed forces, James Heappey, speculated in parliament that either of the aircraft carriers would be deployed to the area, but this has not proven to be the case. Cdre Blackmore said Operation Firedrake was a "huge success" and prepared them for future operations.

He added: "It allowed us to understand operating in the North Sea, High North and Arctic, and keep taking us on the journey to take us to our capability. It allowed me to bring the strike group together, and be absolutely confident that we can command and control a group of that size and deliver the effects that are required in that part of the world." The Navy official stressed that training exercises are essential in making sure the force is "permanently ready" for any scenario. "We have to constantly exercise and train," he added.

"We have to demonstrate credibility to our allies to show that we are ready, and to show any adversaries that we’re ready. We have to create a common understanding and trust within the group. The exercise is run by Nato and we will react to whatever mission they choose to give us. We’ll go from a period of shaping and preparation, to a period where we’re available to offer support, into a more offensive mindset." Cdre Blackmore believes Nato deployments such as this will be scaled up in the future given the ongoing conflicts currently taking place.

"Nato is re-energised and emboldened because of what is happening in Ukraine and the illegal war that Russia is deciding to fight against it. Nato has never been more important in the 75 years of its existence. The ability to dial up and down these exercises is important. You develop that trust between allies, and to the adversary - largely Russia - we will show that we are a credible force that will defend Europe. A carrier strike group comes alive when it goes out to sea. The very notion of it is we are at very high readiness, and that is for any option that the government may choose to deploy us, and whatever scenario that might be.

"What HMS Diamond has undertaken has been superb. She has delivered without fault or failure. I couldn’t be prouder of her and her shop’s company in what they have done." HMS Queen Elizabeth's Commanding Officer, Captain Will King RN OBE, said tactical lessons around communication, working with allies and dealing with challenging conditions, helped the crew learn valuable skills which will prepare them for this upcoming deployment. "The reason we have two carriers is that one is always at very high readiness," he told The News. "When the entire team is put together, they need to be ready to go. We only have to look at some of the situations on the international stage at the moment, and what we we could be called upon to do.

"That is firmly on everyone’s minds. It is on my mind in terms of getting my ship’s company ready for contingent operations as well as the job in hand with Steadfast Defender. The Royal Navy thrives on the fact that it is ready to respond as required by political lords and masters. Our part of the plan, on the tactical level, is to ensure that we’re ready to ensure as required. There is an excitement and a buzz around the crew. Good operations are what our sailors join the navy to do."

For Abbie Smith, AB, of Cowplain, it will be her first ever deployment since she joined the force after applying when she was 15. The 20-year-old said she was "really excited" for her first exercise on a Portsmouth-based ship, and added that she has "never looked back" since joining. "There’s a lot of excitement but there are a few nerves as well," she added. "It’s a great thing to be part of. I’m excited to get in the swing of things and experience life at sea. There’s a lot of new things I’ll be learning on board.

"I learnt that the little problems aren’t actually that bad, you put them into perspective, and everything can change at the drop of a hat, and you have to be ready for everything. Everyone’s had Christmas and ready to go back out to sea again. It’ll take a couple of weeks to get into the swing of things, but once they're done, it’ll go great. My mum and dad absolutely love me being in the Navy, it's the first thing they tell people.” Adam Gater, AT, 21, of Wokingham, added: "I’m looking forward to the deployment. Last deployment was the first time I fired live weapons, so it would be great to carry that on."