Overview

• HMS Prince of Wales has departed Portsmouth and is leading Carrier Strike Group 25 in an eight-month mission to the Indo-Pacific under Operation Highmast.
• The deployment began with a NATO aerial defense exercise off the coast of France, marking the first phase of its operations with allied forces.
• The strike group includes 2,500 personnel, warships from the UK, Norway, Canada, and Spain, and will integrate up to 24 F-35B fighter jets during the mission.
• Operation Highmast aims to reinforce UK commitment to NATO, secure key trade routes, and uphold a rules-based international order in strategic regions.
• This deployment follows the 2021 Indo-Pacific mission led by HMS Queen Elizabeth, underscoring the UK's ongoing role in global maritime security.