The United Kingdom’s Carrier Strike Group (CSG), spearheaded by HMS Prince of Wales, is gearing up for a series of high-profile exercises across the Indo-Pacific region. These extensive training activities underscore the UK’s strategic commitment to the area, with a significant emphasis on demonstrating the full operational capability of its carrier strike group concept and the pivotal role of its F-35B fighter jets.
Commodore James Blackmore, commander of the strike group, highlighted the deployment’s dual objectives: achieving full operating capability for the UK CSG and strengthening vital partnerships with allies throughout the Indo-Pacific. The expansive schedule includes participation in Exercise Talisman Sabre in July, a premier high-end training event in and around Australia involving 19 nations. During this exercise, HMS Prince of Wales will notably launch Japan-based US Marine Corps F-35Bs, showcasing crucial interoperability.
Beyond Talisman Sabre, the strike group’s itinerary is packed with collaborative engagements. Plans include a dual carrier exercise with a US aircraft carrier, advanced training alongside the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force’s aircraft carrier Kaga, and participation in the Five Power Defence Arrangements air and naval exercise in September with Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, and Singapore. Further training engagements with Indian forces are also on the agenda, underscoring the breadth of the UK’s regional diplomatic and military outreach.
Captain Colin McGannity, the air group commander, detailed the intensive F-35 operations, confirming missions will involve launching up to eight F-35s simultaneously from the carrier’s deck. The HMS Prince of Wales has already demonstrated its versatility by conducting cross-decking activities with Italian F-35Bs. For Exercise Falcon Strike in the Mediterranean, a robust complement of 24 F-35Bs will join the carrier, illustrating the formidable air power it can project.
The carrier is accompanied by a robust flotilla, including warships from Canada, New Zealand, Norway, and Spain, with an Australian destroyer slated to join the group later. This multi-national composition not only enhances the strike group’s capabilities but also signifies the collective commitment of allied nations to upholding stability and security in a strategically vital global region. The exercises are poised to solidify the UK’s global reach and its integral role in the Indo-Pacific’s evolving security architecture.