Royal Navy: HMS Prince of Wales to begin "major" Mediterranean strike exercise as Pacific deployment ramps up

HMS Prince of Wales and the UK Carrier Strike Group (UKCSG) has just arrived in the south of Italy for Exercise Med Strike. The Royal Navy flagship set off from Portsmouth on April 22 with huge crowds of well-wishers lining the Hot Walls in Old Portsmouth to watch her leave.

Operation Highmast, an eight-month deployment to the Indo-Pacific, has already seen sailors, aviators, Royal Marines and other personnel, have already been put through their paces as they head to south-east Asia - but now their first big test is ahead of them.

Commodore James Blackmore, Commander of the UKCSG - who previously described the deployment as “the biggest this century” in terms of capability - said: “This is a major moment in the UK Carrier Strike Group’s global deployment and will test our skills alongside NATO allies in a region of fundamental importance to UK security,” said Commodore James Blackmore, Commander UK Carrier Strike Group.

“It is with great pride that we begin operations in the Mediterranean. I know UK and allied service personnel on the warships and aircraft of the Strike Group stand ready to deliver. Working at the heart of a powerful NATO force sends a strong message and shows clearly the phenomenal capabilities that not only the UK possesses but the alliance as a whole.”

The strike group is made up of an array of warships, aircraft and an Astute-class submarine, creating a potent UK force centred on fifth generation stealth jets – in the form of F-35B Lightning fighters embarked on Prince of Wales – capable of operating closely with NATO allies and partners across the globe. Exercise Med Strike – which begins tomorrow (May 5) and conclude on Sunday (May 11) – will bring all the component pieces of the CSG together.

In the waters of the Ionian Sea – between Taranto and Sicily – a force of two carrier strike groups, 21 warships, three submarines, 41 fast jets, 19 helicopters, ten patrol aircraft and more than 8,000 personnel will train together. The Italian Navy’s Carrier Strike Group will have ITV Cavour at its heart and will join the UKCSG to test anti-submarine warfare tactics among other skills.

Other countries involved include Canada, France, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Türkiye and the United States. The UK Carrier Strike Group entered the Mediterranean this week and was under NATO command as they participated in the alliance’s Exercise Neptune Strike. The drill formed part of a mission to maintain security in the Euro-Atlantic region, deterring any aggressor who would seek to threaten freedom of navigation.

The CSG proved its ability to seamlessly integrate and contribute to NATO missions, working closely with forces from Bulgaria, Canada, France, Greece, Italy, North Macedonia, Portugal, Romania, Türkiye and the United States. Ahead of Neptune Strike, the UK ships were joined by Spanish frigate Méndez Núñez and Norwegian ships HNoMS Maud and HNoMS Roald Amundsen.

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, South-east 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 goal is to reaffirm the UK’s commitment to the security of the Mediterranean and Indo-Pacific region, demonstrate collective resolve with our allies and showcase British trade and industry. 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.