Overview

• HMS Prince of Wales departed Portsmouth on April 22, 2025, as the flagship of Carrier Strike Group 25 for Operation Highmast, an eight-month deployment.
• The mission involves joint exercises, operations, and port visits with 40 countries across the Mediterranean, Middle East, and Indo-Pacific regions.
• The Carrier Strike Group includes warships and personnel from the UK, Norway, Canada, and Spain, along with 18 F-35B jets, drones, and helicopters.
• Commodore James Blackmore emphasized the group’s readiness for combat operations if required, including potential transits through contested waters like the Taiwan Strait.
• The deployment aims to safeguard critical trade routes, reinforce alliances, and demonstrate the UK’s commitment to the rules-based international order.