Royal Navy's Carrier Strike Group forms up for first time with HMS Queen Elizabeth at its centre

HMS Queen Elizabeth has taken centre stage as the Royal Navy’s Carrier Strike Group forms up for the first time.

By Millie Salkeld

Published 5th Oct 2020, 11:35 BST

Updated 5th Oct 2020, 11:50 BST

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The Portsmouth-based warship has been joined by eight other ships, 15 fighters jets and 3,000 personnel from the UK, US and Netherlands.

The Carrier Strike Group has come together for Nato’s largest annual exercise, Joint Warrior in the North Sea, marking the beginning of what the navy said was a ‘new era’.

Commodore Steve Moorhouse, Commander UK Carrier Strike Group, said: ‘The new UK Carrier Strike Group is the embodiment of British maritime power, and sits at the heart of a modernised and emboldened Royal Navy.

FULL UK CARRIER STRIKE GROUP ASSEMBLED FOR FIRST TIME

The full UK Carrier Strike Group assembled for the first time during Group Exercise 2020 on 4th October. Aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth leads a flotilla of destroyers and frigates from the UK, US and the Netherlands, together with two Royal Fleet Auxiliaries. It is the most powerful task force assembled by any European Navy in almost 20 years. — FULL UK CARRIER STRIKE GROUP ASSEMBLED FOR FIRST TIME The full UK Carrier Strike Group assembled for the first time during Group Exercise 2020 on 4th October. Aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth leads a flotilla of destroyers and frigates from the UK, US and the Netherlands, together with two Royal Fleet Auxiliaries. It is the most powerful task force assembled by any European Navy in almost 20 years.

FULL UK CARRIER STRIKE GROUP ASSEMBLED FOR FIRST TIME

The full UK Carrier Strike Group assembled for the first time during Group Exercise 2020 on 4th October. Aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth leads a flotilla of destroyers and frigates from the UK, US and the Netherlands, together with two Royal Fleet Auxiliaries. It is the most powerful task force assembled by any European Navy in almost 20 years. — FULL UK CARRIER STRIKE GROUP ASSEMBLED FOR FIRST TIME The full UK Carrier Strike Group assembled for the first time during Group Exercise 2020 on 4th October. Aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth leads a flotilla of destroyers and frigates from the UK, US and the Netherlands, together with two Royal Fleet Auxiliaries. It is the most powerful task force assembled by any European Navy in almost 20 years.

‘Protected by a ring of advanced destroyers, frigates, helicopters and submarines, and equipped with fifth generation fighters, HMS Queen Elizabeth is able to strike from the sea at a time and place of our choosing; and with our Nato allies at our side, we will be ready to fight and win in the most demanding circumstances.

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‘Carrier Strike offers Britain choice and flexibility on the global stage. It reassures our friends and allies and presents a powerful deterrent to would-be adversaries.’

The Carrier Strike Group includes the Royal Navy’s Type 45 warships, city-based HMS Diamond and HMS Defender, and US Navy Arleigh Burke-class USS The Sullivans.

FULL UK CARRIER STRIKE GROUP ASSEMBLED FOR FIRST TIME

The full UK Carrier Strike Group assembled for the first time during Group Exercise 2020 on 4th October. Aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth leads a flotilla of destroyers and frigates from the UK, US and the Netherlands, together with two Royal Fleet Auxiliaries. It is the most powerful task force assembled by any European Navy in almost 20 years. — FULL UK CARRIER STRIKE GROUP ASSEMBLED FOR FIRST TIME The full UK Carrier Strike Group assembled for the first time during Group Exercise 2020 on 4th October. Aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth leads a flotilla of destroyers and frigates from the UK, US and the Netherlands, together with two Royal Fleet Auxiliaries. It is the most powerful task force assembled by any European Navy in almost 20 years.

FULL UK CARRIER STRIKE GROUP ASSEMBLED FOR FIRST TIME

The full UK Carrier Strike Group assembled for the first time during Group Exercise 2020 on 4th October. Aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth leads a flotilla of destroyers and frigates from the UK, US and the Netherlands, together with two Royal Fleet Auxiliaries. It is the most powerful task force assembled by any European Navy in almost 20 years. — FULL UK CARRIER STRIKE GROUP ASSEMBLED FOR FIRST TIME The full UK Carrier Strike Group assembled for the first time during Group Exercise 2020 on 4th October. Aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth leads a flotilla of destroyers and frigates from the UK, US and the Netherlands, together with two Royal Fleet Auxiliaries. It is the most powerful task force assembled by any European Navy in almost 20 years.

It also features frigates HMS Northumberland, based in Plymouth, HMS Kent, based in Portsmouth, and the Dutch Navy’s HNLMS Evertsen.

Commander Vince Owen, commanding officer of HMS Defender, said: ‘Providing air and missile defence to a Carrier Strike Group is exactly the task HMS Defender and the Type 45 has been designed to do.

‘Having previously supported the French aircraft carrier FGS Charles de Gaulle in the fight against Isil in 2015 and more recently been part of the USS Abraham Lincoln task group as she transited through the Strait of Hormuz last year, it is exciting to be integrating HMS Defender into the UK-led Carrier Strike Group for the first time.

‘Having just successfully completed a period of basic operational sea training over the summer, the men and women that make up my ship’s company are motivated and ready to take part in the next stage of our training in preparation for deploying with the Carrier Strike Group next year.’

HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH CARRIES OUT EXERCISES AT SEA

Pictured: Commodore Steve Moorhouse, Commander Carrier Stike Group on the flight deck of HMS Queen Elizabeth.

HMS Queen Elizabeth has embarked two squadrons of F-35B stealth jets: the UK’s 617 Sqn and US Marine Corps fighter attack squadron 211. Alongside eight Merlin helicopters of 820 and 846 Naval Air Squadrons it is the largest air group to operate from a Royal Navy carrier in more than thirty years, and the largest air group of fifth generation fighters at sea anywhere in the world. This month’s Group Exercise (‘GROUPEX’) will see HMS Queen Elizabeth joined by warships from the UK, US and the Netherlands, which will accompany the carrier on her first global deployment in 2021. However, before then, the newly-formed Carrier Strike Group will be put through its paces off the north east coast of Scotland as part of Joint Warrior, NATO’s largest annual exercise. — HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH CARRIES OUT EXERCISES AT SEA Pictured: Commodore Steve Moorhouse, Commander Carrier Stike Group on the flight deck of HMS Queen Elizabeth. HMS Queen Elizabeth has embarked two squadrons of F-35B stealth jets: the UK’s 617 Sqn and US Marine Corps fighter attack squadron 211. Alongside eight Merlin helicopters of 820 and 846 Naval Air Squadrons it is the largest air group to operate from a Royal Navy carrier in more than thirty years, and the largest air group of fifth generation fighters at sea anywhere in the world. This month’s Group Exercise (‘GROUPEX’) will see HMS Queen Elizabeth joined by warships from the UK, US and the Netherlands, which will accompany the carrier on her first global deployment in 2021. However, before then, the newly-formed Carrier Strike Group will be put through its paces off the north east coast of Scotland as part of Joint Warrior, NATO’s largest annual exercise.

HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH CARRIES OUT EXERCISES AT SEA

Pictured: Commodore Steve Moorhouse, Commander Carrier Stike Group on the flight deck of HMS Queen Elizabeth.

HMS Queen Elizabeth has embarked two squadrons of F-35B stealth jets: the UK’s 617 Sqn and US Marine Corps fighter attack squadron 211. Alongside eight Merlin helicopters of 820 and 846 Naval Air Squadrons it is the largest air group to operate from a Royal Navy carrier in more than thirty years, and the largest air group of fifth generation fighters at sea anywhere in the world. This month’s Group Exercise (‘GROUPEX’) will see HMS Queen Elizabeth joined by warships from the UK, US and the Netherlands, which will accompany the carrier on her first global deployment in 2021. However, before then, the newly-formed Carrier Strike Group will be put through its paces off the north east coast of Scotland as part of Joint Warrior, NATO’s largest annual exercise. — HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH CARRIES OUT EXERCISES AT SEA Pictured: Commodore Steve Moorhouse, Commander Carrier Stike Group on the flight deck of HMS Queen Elizabeth. HMS Queen Elizabeth has embarked two squadrons of F-35B stealth jets: the UK’s 617 Sqn and US Marine Corps fighter attack squadron 211. Alongside eight Merlin helicopters of 820 and 846 Naval Air Squadrons it is the largest air group to operate from a Royal Navy carrier in more than thirty years, and the largest air group of fifth generation fighters at sea anywhere in the world. This month’s Group Exercise (‘GROUPEX’) will see HMS Queen Elizabeth joined by warships from the UK, US and the Netherlands, which will accompany the carrier on her first global deployment in 2021. However, before then, the newly-formed Carrier Strike Group will be put through its paces off the north east coast of Scotland as part of Joint Warrior, NATO’s largest annual exercise.

Food, fuel and ammunition will be supplied by Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships, RFA Tideforce and RFA Fort Victoria, to enable operations to continue without host nation support.

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Cdr Rick Ongering, commanding officer of HNLMS Evertsen, added: ‘The Royal Netherlands Navy and the Royal Navy have been very close maritime partners for decades.

‘Our marines have been working together through the UK-Netherlands Amphibious Force for almost fifty years and our ships regularly undertake Fleet Operational Sea Training in the UK.

‘However, the opportunity to accompany HMS Queen Elizabeth is a new experience and HNLMS Evertsen is excited to be working with the UK Carrier Strike Group during Exercise Joint Warrior this October.’

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