PORTSMOUTH – The Royal Navy’s flagship, HMS Prince of Wales, is preparing to depart from Portsmouth on Tuesday (April 22), leading a major international Carrier Strike Group (CSG) on an ambitious eight-month deployment to the Indo-Pacific.
The mission, dubbed Operation Highmast, aims to assert Britain’s global presence and reaffirm its commitment to international security.
With stops planned in the Mediterranean, Middle East, South-East Asia, Japan, and Australia, the deployment sends what commanders describe as a “powerful message” of UK military readiness and capability.
At 65,000 tonnes and boasting a £3 billion price tag, HMS Prince of Wales will command a multinational fleet including:
- UK’s HMS Richmond
- Canada’s HMCS Ville de Quebec
- Norwegian vessels HNoMS Maud and HNoMS Roald Amundsen
- Destroyer HMS Dauntless
- RFA Tidespring (support vessel)
Thousands are expected to line the harbour walls in Portsmouth to see off the mighty warship, a clear symbol of the UK’s naval power.
The carrier will be joined shortly after departure by 18 UK F-35B Lightning II jets, with the number increasing to 24 mid-deployment. The air group also includes:
- Merlin Mk2 anti-submarine helicopters (RNAS Culdrose)
- Merlin Mk4 Commando and Wildcat helicopters (RNAS Yeovilton)
- T-150 Malloy and Puma drones
Commodore James Blackmore, commanding the CSG, emphasised the strategic importance of the deployment: “It’s about supporting key trade routes that exist from the Indo-Pacific region to the UK, and supporting partners and allies in the region, showing that we are there as a capable and credible force should it be required.”
He added: “Operation Highmast will demonstrate credible deterrence and our support to NATO and the rules-based international order.”
The group will first participate in a NATO exercise off France, focused on testing aerial defences, before moving into the Mediterranean to collaborate with an Italian-led carrier force. From there, it will chart a course eastward through the Red Sea toward the Indo-Pacific.
Captain Will Blackett, commanding officer of HMS Prince of Wales, shared his personal connection to Portsmouth: “I grew up in Portsmouth… I sat on the Round Tower as a 10-year-old saying ‘One day, I’d like to be the captain of a warship’… and somehow, I’m about to be the captain of an aircraft carrier.”
Speaking of the mission, he added: “This ship is a fantastic machine… and we’re very proud to take her around the world. But it only works because of the magic that’s brought to it by the people on board.”
2,500 Personnel on the Move
At the heart of this mission are the 2,500 service members. Initially composed of approximately:
- 2,100 UK personnel
- 400 from Norway, Canada, and Spain
This figure is expected to swell to 4,500 during peak exercises in the Indo-Pacific theatre.
Leading Engineering Technician Josh Thompson, 29, from Barnstaple, Devon, said: “Personally, it’s something to be pretty proud of… being a part of the bigger picture hopefully for the future of the UK and the world.”
ET John Davis, 24, from Oxford, echoed the sentiment: “I’m really excited to be honest, I’m quite proud of the fact I’ll be doing it.”
This marks the UK’s second Carrier Strike Group mission to the Indo-Pacific. The first took place in 2021 under HMS Queen Elizabeth. The latest operation underscores Britain’s enduring commitment to freedom of navigation, allied partnerships, and peace in the region.
The deployment of HMS Prince of Wales is more than a routine naval operation. It is a bold demonstration of UK defence ambition on the world stage.
With warships, cutting-edge aircraft, and skilled personnel on board, the Carrier Strike Group sets a clear tone: Britain remains a force to be reckoned with — committed, capable, and globally engaged.
