Royal Navy: HMS Queen Elizabeth deployed on Carrier Strike Group to raise Nato resolve amid Russia-Ukraine war

HMS Queen Elizabeth is scheduled to depart from Portsmouth at 7pm tonight as she joins the Carrier Strike Group (CSG). The ship’s company will join allies on intense ship movement and aircraft exercises – involving submarines, F-35 fighter jets and other aircraft assets.

Commodore James Blackmore, Commander of the CSG, said he’s “massively excited” ahead of the deployment in the Norwegian and North Seas. He told The News: “CSGs are designed to be out at sea delivering effect, and that is what we’re doing this Autumn.

"We need to work with our allies close to home so we are integrated, particularly with the war in Europe between Russia and Ukraine. It is a strengthened Nato and the deployment is about making sure we’re united and integrated.”

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The CSG will consist of Dutch, Belgian, Norwegian, German and French ships, as well as US, Swedish, Finnish and Norwegian aircraft. Cdre Blackmore added: “You deploy a carrier strike group to maintain its readiness and demonstrate its capability and credibility. All nations who want to take an interest will be watching globally.

"It is up to us that we can go out there and demonstrate this. The crew are hugely prepared and are buzzing on board. I’ve got absolute confidence and faith in them.”

Several ex-naval personnel and defence commentators have challenged the lack of resources given to the armed forces. Defence secretary Grant Shapps said he’s pushing for more funding, but Cdre Blackmore said exercises like this show the UK can still assert its influence globally.

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“It’ll be telling when people look at the dockyard tomorrow”, he added, “both aircraft carriers won’t be here and will be deployed. We have many Royal Navy ships deployed globally and other formations as well.

"This Autumn is a real demonstration of the Royal Navy’s readiness as a global force.” Cdre Blackmore added the CSG deployment is set to be highly advanced, where aircraft will integrated and forces can test their power at range, air to air fuelling and other fundamental exercises.

“For many years, we haven’t been able to offer a CSG to Nato, but we’re doing that this October,” he added. “It is a great demonstration of how we are doing something different. It’s about integration, readiness, and ability to work together when called upon.

"The cornerstone of Nato is to be a deterrent and be called upon when required. You can only deliver a deterrent if it’s credible. You don’t know where you’ll be asked to fight next, so if you understand the environment already, you are a step ahead.”

It will be the first time that HMS Queen Elizabeth’s new Commanding Officer, Captain Will King RN OBE, will be leading a deployment on the huge aircraft carrier. He took up the role in July 2023 from predecessor Captain Ian Feasey.

CO King said it is an “absolute privilege” to be trusted with commanding the flagship and said his crew are “tip-top and ready to go”. He added: “I’m definitely up for the challenge and I’m sure there will be days when it will be challenging.

"It’s the beauty of a career in the navy, you never quite know what to expect. We’re sailors, and we need to get out over the horizon and do the business.”

CO King said the crew are prepared for a busy schedule ahead of a fortnight of preparations. He added that working alongside allies will bring escorts, anti-submarine warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets and different training opportunities all together for a complete package.

CO King is confident his crew can demonstrate what HMS Queen Elizabeth can do in any scenarios, with 1500 people on board. “It’s important to showcase it to the wider navy, the local community, but also out to the wider defence community, so they recognise it is a defence asset with all sorts of defensive capabilities,” he added.

"As a strike group, you become more than some of your parts. Having a modern, credible armed forces is an insurance policy. We kind of know that when we do claim on the insurance, it is there to pay out.

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"We get out there, over the horizon, we do what we do so come the day of the races, if we’re called upon, we can deliver what we need to deliver.”

Captain Mark Sparrow RN, Commander Air Group, said preparations for the ship’s aircraft have been going on all year and the “game-changing” F-35 fighters will be pushed their limit. He added: “My remit is to command the strike capability of the CSG.

"Being at sea is the most demanding environment you can operate an aircraft from, in good or bad weather and in a variety of conditions. This activity we’re going to do this Autumn will be some of the best flying we have done yet, and is perfect preparation for the next CSG in 2025.”

For Paige Cookson, Engineering Technician, it is her first deployment at sea. Her role is to communicate with other ships on the task group and in land base ports, while setting up circuits for the aircraft.

She said she’s excited to get stuck into the job. “I’m looking forward to learning new things, because every day you learn something new,” she added.

"It’s gonna be a big change. Our job mostly happens at sea, so it’ll be a bit different. We’ve got a good team in the communications office, so I’m really confident it’ll go well.”