Royal Navy flagship HMS Queen Elizabeth sails for deployment to northern Europe with well-wishers cheering on from Old Portsmouth

HMS Queen Elizabeth will lead a powerful Carrier Striker Group of warships, helicopters and F35B stealth jets on Operation Achillean, which has seen Royal Navy on patrol and training exercises across Europe.

The Carrier Strike Group will work closely with Nato and Joint Expeditionary Force – a coalition of ten European allies - as part of the UK’s commitments European security.

The aircraft carrier will be deploying F-35B Lightning jets from 617 Squadron, which will be carrying out flying operations.

Helicopters from 820, 845, 815 and 825 Naval Air Squadrons will also be carrying out their own sorties.

Commodore John Voyce, Portsmouth’s naval base commander, said: ‘We wish HMS Queen Elizabeth and all the Carrier Strike Group the best of luck on their upcoming deployment.

‘All at Portsmouth’s Naval Base are proud to support the Royal Navy’s flagship and prepare her for Operation Achillean. We look forward to welcoming her home when it is complete.

‘This latest deployment builds on a range of operations and exercises with JEF allies this year for the Royal Navy, including maritime patrols in the Baltic Sea.’

Among those watching the 65,000 tonne warship sail past Old Portsmouth was the Colton family from Nottingham, who had come down to cheer aircraft technician Alfie Colton, who is onboard for his first voyage with the Royal Navy.

Proud dad Adam, who served for five years as an able seaman on board HMS Intrepid and HMS Brilliant, said: ‘This is his first time at sea. Being here, it’s a bit overwhelming. It makes you very nostalgic.’

HMS Queen Elizabeth had recently returned from the US where it hosted the Atlantic Future Forum (AFF) in New York, a defence conference focusing on Anglo-American military, political and strategic relations.

It had taken up the role after sister ship HMS Prince of Wales broke down off the Isle of Wight after suffering a broken propeller shaft.

A second task force led by transport ship HMS Albion has also been deployed as part of Operation Achillean with visits already carried out to Montenegro, Libya, Cyprus and Egypt.