Royal Navy: HMS Prince of Wales Pacific deployment update issued as officials bolster Japan relations

HMS Prince of Wales is due to sail to the Indo-Pacific region next year - taking charge of the UK Carrier Strike Group (UKCSG). The £3.2bn warship has been flexing her muscles in the North Sea recently, carrying out various drills and taking charge of the UKCSG on Exercise Strike Warrior.

Rear Admiral Rob Pedre recently travelled to Japan for a various of high-level discussions. This included the Royal Navy working alongside the Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force, as well as the nation being a partner in the F35-B Lightning programme. The force has maintained a visible presence in the region, with HMS Spey and HMS Tamar still operating there.

Admiral Pedre met with the Chief of Staff of the JMSDF, Admiral Akira Saito and Chief of Staff of Japan’s Air Self Defence Force, General Hiroaki Uchikura. He also visited Commander US Seventh Fleet Headquarters in Yokosuka, the largest of the US Navy’s forward-deployed fleets, and held talks with Vice Admiral Fred Kacher, commander of the Seventh Fleet.

The Royal Navy said pair discussed both the Carrier Strike Group deployment and the force’s participation in this year’s Globally Integrated Wargame and Fleet Synthetic Training in the USA. Admiral Pedre’s visit to Tokyo coincided with prime minister Sir Keir Starmer’s pledge to increase naval patrols in the region to combat the influence of China.

This would include a greater breath of joint patrols with Pacific Island nations. The Royal Navy said these security measures would continue to protect the region’s waters, have personnel on hand to respond to natural disasters and combat illegal fishing.

Earlier this year the Royal Navy ran its first ever counter illegal fishing patrols in the Pacific, mounted jointly with New Zealand and Fiji. The force is expected to extend this offer to support other Pacific Island nations.