HMS Queen Elizabeth: Royal Navy aircraft carrier crew praised for 'exceptional' work on hectic deployment in challenging Scandinavian weather

HMS Queen Elizabeth and her Carrier Strike Group have returned home after three weeks of flying operations in the North Sea and Scandinavia.

The fleet flagship was at the heart of a task force consisting of five warships and F-35B Lightning jets, which undertook a range of flight operations to train up ‘carrier qualified’ pilots.

The group stopped in Oslo, Norway’s capital, to reaffirm bonds with one of the UK’s closest Nato and Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) allies before continuing training in the North Sea on their journey back to Portsmouth.

Commodore Angus Essenhigh, Commander of the UK Carrier Strike Group, said: ‘With our exceptional people at its core I have been very pleased at what the CSG has achieved in a small space of time often in challenging weather.

‘With many new faces across the Strike Group, we have gelled as a team and reset our currency, conducting safe yet rigorous training alongside our bilateral, JEF and NATO partners.

‘A fantastic visit to Oslo to reaffirm the strength of the bilateral relationship with Norway was the icing on the cake.’

HMS Diamond, HMS Kent, HMS Richmond and RFA Tidesurge formed a protective ring of steel around the aircraft carrier as jets and helicopters flew sorties round the clock, day and night.

HMS Diamond returned to Portsmouth earlier this week and spent time attached to the aircraft carrier providing air defence.

The strike group’s work formed part of Operation Achillean, a Europe-wide exercise to patrol the continents strategic waterways, which saw HMS Defender in the Mediterranean before also returning home to Portsmouth earlier this week.

UK Carrier Strike Group, Commander Air Group, Commander Mark Sparrow, said: ‘Operation Achillean has been a great opportunity for the Carrier Air Wing to continue the development of UK Carrier Strike following on from last year’s worldwide deployment.

‘In particular, the Lightning Force have generated additional ‘carrier qualified’ pilots whilst also having operated with Norwegian F-35 in the North Sea.

‘I am extremely pleased with how the whole team from HMS Queen Elizabeth, Carrier Strike Group and the Air Wing have safely and effectively integrated over a relatively short period.’