With nine ships, including the flagship aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth, thirty-two aircraft, and more than 3,700 personnel, it is the largest Royal Navy flotilla to depart the UK in decades. Last month, the Carrier Strike Group began its first operational deployment, and it will take part in a seven-month global deployment through the Mediterranean and Indian Oceans and then to the Pacific. Along the way, HMS Queen Elizabeth and the other warships will interact with more than one-fifth of the world’s nations – more than forty in total – including multiple NATO partners during its 26,000 nautical mile global tour. The new carrier is also part of a multi-national force that includes six Royal Navy ships and submarines, a U.S. Navy destroyer, and a frigate from the Royal Dutch Navy.
HMS Queen Elizabeth is indeed the latest aircraft carrier in the Royal Navy’s fleet and is considered one of the most advanced and capable aircraft carriers in the world. It was commissioned into service in 2017 and has since undergone various training and operational exercises to prepare for its intended role.
HMS Queen Elizabeth is part of the Queen Elizabeth class of aircraft carriers, which also includes HMS Prince of Wales. These carriers are significantly larger than their predecessors and have a full-load displacement of around 65,000 tons. They can accommodate a wide range of fixed-wing aircraft, including the F-35 Lightning II, which is currently the primary fighter aircraft of the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force.
With its large flight deck and advanced aviation facilities, HMS Queen Elizabeth provides enhanced capabilities for air operations, including strike missions, air defense, and intelligence gathering. It also has advanced command and control systems, sensors, and modern self-defense capabilities.
The aircraft carrier’s operational readiness involves a combination of training, equipment testing, and integration with other naval assets and personnel. This process ensures that the ship and its crew are prepared to carry out their mission effectively.
While I don’t have access to real-time information, as of my last update in September 2021, HMS Queen Elizabeth was undergoing sea trials and preparing for its first operational deployment. For the latest updates and specific details on the carrier’s readiness and activities, I recommend consulting official sources, such as the Royal Navy’s website or reliable news outlets that cover defense and maritime affairs.
The maiden voyage of the new British aircraft carrier is also being seen as a way for the UK to show its allies in the post-Brexit era that the Royal Navy is ready to defend western interests. It is also a show of force meant to alert Beijing that the nation that once “ruled the waves” will continue to defend the freedom of navigation around the globe. “It shows that we are a global navy and wanting to be back out there,” Commodore Steve Moorhouse, the Carrier Strike Group’s commanding officer, told Reuters. “The aim for us is that this deployment will be part of a more persistent presence for the United Kingdom in that region,” he added, referring to the Indo-Pacific that includes India and Australia.”
The new 65,000-tonne vessel carries eight British F-35Bs and ten U.S. F-35s as well as 250 U.S. marines as part of its 1,700-strong crew. Many facets of this voyage will include notable “firsts” for Queen Elizabeth, and that includes taking part in a NATO exercise last week in the Mediterranean. “It sends a message of NATO’s resolve,” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg also explained while onboard the aircraft carrier.
The Carrier Strike Group will nxt be joined by French flagship aircraft carrier Charles De Gaulle for a period of dual-carrier operations in the Mediterranean before the carrier transits the Suez canal and visit Oman, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and Singapore to strengthen Britain’s security relationships, reinforce political ties and support our UK exports and international trade agenda. Sea Power magazine also reported that elements of the Carrier Strike Group will also participate in Exercise Bersama Lima to mark the 50th anniversary of the Five Powers Defence Arrangements between Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.
“The U.K.’s Carrier Strike Group sets sail to write Britain’s name in the next chapter of history — a truly global Britain that steps forward to tackle the challenges of tomorrow, working hand-in-hand with our friends to defend our shared values and uphold the rules-based international order,” said Defence Secretary Wallace. “This deployment shows that we are strong on our own, but even stronger with our allies. I want to join the nation in wishing the crews across the Carrier Strike Group every success as they depart on this truly historic endeavor.”
