THE RYOAL NAVY’S flagship aircraft carrier, HMS Prince of Wales, is set to depart Portsmouth on Tuesday for an eight-month international deployment showcasing the UK’s naval and air power.
Dubbed Operation Highmast, the mission will see the £3bn warship lead Carrier Strike Group 25 (CSG25) through joint exercises and port visits across 40 countries including Japan, Australia, nations in southeast Asia, the Middle East and the Mediterranean.
The deployment, described by senior defence figures as a “powerful message of deterrence,” will begin with NATO aerial defence exercises off the coast of France before progressing to the Mediterranean for operations with an Italian-led carrier force. The group will then transit east via the Red Sea towards the Indo-Pacific region.
HMS Prince of Wales will be accompanied from Portsmouth Naval Base by Type 45 destroyer HMS Dauntless and will join a wider formation of warships, support vessels and aircraft off Cornwall. In total, around 4,500 military personnel will take part over the course of the deployment, including 2,500 Royal Navy personnel, 900 from the Army, and 592 from the Royal Air Force.
Military assets on board will include up to 24 RAF F-35B Lightning jets, Merlin Mk2 anti-submarine helicopters, Merlin Mk4 Commando helicopters, Wildcat helicopters, and T-150 Malloy and Puma drones.
King Charles visited HMS Prince of Wales in March ahead of its departure, speaking to service personnel and expressing his support, saying he would be “watching their progress”.
‘Credible deterrence’
Commodore James Blackmore, who commands CSG25, said: “This deployment supports key trade routes from the Indo-Pacific region to the UK and reaffirms our commitment to allies and partners around the world. Operation Highmast will demonstrate credible deterrence and our support to NATO and the rules-based international order.”
The mission will also include forces from 12 allied nations, including Norway, Canada, and Spain.
Defence Secretary John Healey MP described Operation Highmast as “an immensely complex operation” and said: “This is a unique opportunity for the UK to operate in close coordination with our partners. It not only demonstrates our commitment to global security and stability, but also provides a platform to boost British trade and support our economy.”
