Yemen Monitor/Newsroom:
The British aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, the flagship of the Royal Navy, is preparing to sail to the Indo-Pacific region with the aim of sending a message about its capabilities.
This mission, known as “Operation Highmast,” will have a broad strategic character, involving joint exercises and visits to more than 40 countries spanning the Mediterranean, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Japan, and Australia.
The £3 billion aircraft carrier is scheduled to depart on Tuesday from Portsmouth Naval Base, accompanied by the Type 45 destroyer HMS Dauntless. The naval vessels will head towards a maritime formation comprising warships, supply ships, and aircraft, off the coast of Cornwall.
As the largest of the Royal Navy’s ships, the Prince of Wales leads Carrier Strike Group 25 (CSG25). This group includes approximately 2,500 personnel from the British Royal Navy, along with 592 from the Royal Air Force and 900 from the British Army.
In later stages of the mission, the number of participants is expected to rise to around 4,500 military personnel during exercises in the Indo-Pacific region. Forces from other countries, including Norway, Canada, and Spain, will also participate in this 12-nation coalition.
The Carrier Strike Group’s first tasks will include participation in a NATO exercise off the French coast, aimed at testing air defense capabilities, before the ships move to the Mediterranean to cooperate with an Italian-led carrier force, and then head eastwards through the Red Sea.
The military assets participating in this mission include a diverse range of air and naval capabilities, including up to 24 F-35B Lightning fighter jets from the Royal Air Force, as well as Merlin Mk2 anti-submarine helicopters, Merlin Mk4 Commando helicopters, and Wildcat helicopters. The mission also includes T-150 Malloy and Puma drones.
This deployment comes within the framework of strengthening the British military presence globally and highlighting the United Kingdom’s ability to conduct complex maritime operations in cooperation with international allies.
Source: Sky News
