The British aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales (R09) is in the final stage of an eight-month deployment in the Indo-Pacific under Operation Highmast, with the goal of bringing the United Kingdom Carrier Strike Group (UKCSG) to Full Operational Capability (FOC).
The operation has included multinational exercises, port visits in Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and India, and interoperability activities with allied navies. According to the group’s commander, Commodore James Blackmore, the mission has focused on “developing the full operational capability of the UK Carrier Strike Group, strengthening partnerships with Indo-Pacific allies, and maintaining interoperability with NATO forces.”
Exercises and international cooperation
During July and August, the UKCSG took part in the Talisman Sabre 2025 exercise in Australia, alongside the U.S. Navy and other allied forces. There, the group generated 16 F-35B Lightning II sorties within a 24-hour period. Blackmore described this performance as “a major step toward developing full operational capability.”
The deployment also included dual-carrier operations with the USS George Washington in the Timor Sea and joint maneuvers with the Japanese ship JS Kaga (DDH-184) and the USS America (LHA-6) in the Philippine Sea. During these activities, British F-35Bs conducted takeoffs and landings on Japanese and American units, expanding their operational reach through refueling and maintenance on allied platforms.
In September, the UKCSG carried out further exercises with units from South Korea, Japan, the United States, Australia, and Canada, before transiting the South China Sea for the first time, where it was shadowed by ships of the People’s Liberation Army Navy. On this, Blackmore noted: “I think it’s a great opportunity for us to see how the PLAN operates and for them to see how we operate. These are international waters, and everyone has the right to be there.”
Port visits and diplomatic activities
The stay in Japan, where the carrier arrived in late August, included high-level meetings and the hosting of the Pacific Future Forum onboard. “Our visit to Japan will be remembered as a highlight of HMS Prince of Wales’s Operation Highmast and probably a milestone in the careers of many of our sailors,” said Captain Will Blackett, the carrier’s commanding officer.
At each port visit, the ship hosted meetings between British representatives and local authorities. According to the UK’s High Commissioner to Singapore, Nik Mehta, “the presence of the strike group in the Indo-Pacific, along with ministers, signals the importance of the region for the UK’s foreign policy, trade, and investment.”
Composition and next steps
The Prince of Wales sails accompanied by the destroyer HMS Dauntless (D33), the frigate HMS Richmond (F239), the logistics ship RFA Tidespring (A136), the Norwegian frigate HNoMS Roald Amundsen (F311), and the Japanese frigate JS Akebono (DD-108). Also joining were the Canadian frigate HMCS Ville de Quebec (FFH332), the Spanish ESPS Méndez Núñez (F-104), and the New Zealand frigate HMNZS Te Kaha (F77).
Currently, the carrier operates with 18 F-35B aircraft, though the air wing is expected to increase to 24 when returning to the Mediterranean in November, a number considered the threshold for declaring Full Operational Capability.
The deployment will conclude in December, following participation in the annual Bersama Lima exercise under the Five Power Defence Arrangements, as well as joint activities with the Indian Navy. Afterwards, the group will integrate into NATO-led operations in the Mediterranean before returning to the United Kingdom.
*Images for illustrative purposes
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