Royal Navy kicks off major workout as global deployment ramps up

The Royal Navy’s Carrier Strike Group (CSG), led by HMS Prince of Wales, has arrived off Italy’s southern coast to begin Exercise Med Strike with NATO allies, starting a major workout as part of its eight-month Indo-Pacific deployment.

Exercise Med Strike, which began on May 5 and will conclude on May 11, will bring all the component pieces of the CSG together. The carrier strike group of an array of warships, aircraft, and an Astute-class submarine, while F-35B Lightning fighters embark on HMS Prince of Wales.

In the waters of the Ionian Sea – between Taranto and Sicily – a force of two carrier strike groups, 21 warships, three submarines, 41 fast jets, 19 helicopters, ten patrol aircraft, and more than 8,000 personnel will train together.

The Italian Navy’s Carrier Strike Group – with its own flagship and carrier ITS Cavour at its heart – will join with the UK CSG to practice anti-submarine warfare tactics among other skills.

“This is a major moment in the UK Carrier Strike Group’s global deployment and will test our skills alongside NATO allies in a region of fundamental importance to UK security,” said Commodore James Blackmore, Commander UK Carrier Strike Group.

Alongside the UK and Italy, Canada, France, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Türkiye and the United States are also involved in Exercise Med Strike.

The UK Carrier Strike Group entered the Mediterranean this week and was under NATO command as they participated in the alliance’s Exercise Neptune Strike, which forms a part of a mission to maintain security in the Euro-Atlantic region. Ahead of Neptune Strike, the UK ships were joined by Spanish frigate Méndez Núñez and Norwegian ships HNoMS Maud and HNoMS Roald Amundsen.

Between now and December, the Carrier Strike Group will conduct a series of exercises and operations with air, sea, and land forces of a dozen allies in the Mediterranean, Middle East, South-east Asia, Japa,n and Australia.

This is the second deployment of the UK’s Carrier Strike Group. The first, led by HMS Queen Elizabeth in 2021, took place against the backdrop of a world in lockdown due to the COVID pandemic.

The 2025 mission, known as Operation Highmast and commanded by Commodore Blackmore and his staff from aboard HMS Prince of Wales, occurs with a changed world order and even more volatile geo-political situation.

The goal is to reaffirm the UK’s commitment to the security of the Mediterranean and Indo-Pacific region, demonstrate collective resolve with our allies and showcase British trade and industry.