The United Kingdom’s Carrier Strike Group (CSG), spearheaded by HMS Prince of Wales, has officially entered the Red Sea as part of Operation Highmast—the UK’s most significant naval deployment in recent years, according to the UK Defense Journal.
The UK Carrier Strike Group Red Sea manoeuvre underscores Britain’s intent to bolster defense cooperation and maritime security in strategic regions, particularly across the Indo-Pacific. The task group transited the Suez Canal early Saturday and comprises warships from NATO allies including Canada’s HMCS Ville de Québec, Norway’s HNoMS Roald Amundsen and support vessel Maud, as well as Spain’s ESPS Méndez Núñez. HMS Richmond is expected to join the formation imminently.
Joint Mission with NATO Allies and Indo-Pacific Powers
Operation Highmast will span eight months and involve joint military exercises, port visits, and security patrols in collaboration with the United States, Australia, and Japan. The UK Ministry of Defense (MoD) stated, “This deployment demonstrates our commitment to upholding regional stability and ensuring maritime freedom.”
The deployment integrates F-35B stealth jets, Merlin helicopters, unmanned aerial systems, and naval platforms from allied fleets, executing missions ranging from anti-submarine warfare to integrated air defense operations.
RAF Surveillance and Strategic Positioning
As the carrier group navigated the Suez Canal, the Royal Air Force (RAF) provided overwatch. Two Poseidon MRA1 maritime patrol aircraft were sighted above the Sinai Peninsula on Saturday. To support the operation, four Voyager aerial refueling tankers were deployed from RAF Brize Norton to the UK’s forward base in Akrotiri, Cyprus, earlier this month.
Operation Comes Amid Regional Volatility
The UK strike group’s arrival comes during a volatile period in the Red Sea. Though a ceasefire exists between the US and Yemen’s Houthi rebels, the UK is not a party to the agreement. British forces remain on alert following last month’s joint UK-US airstrike on a Houthi drone facility in Yemen, part of broader efforts to curb attacks on international shipping lanes.
Houthi officials accuse the UK of backing Israel’s military campaign in Gaza by supplying arms and intelligence—a claim London has not publicly addressed.
Following the exit of the USS Harry S. Truman from the Red Sea and with only the USS Carl Vinson in the wider area, British officials have expressed concern over the vulnerability of the UK-led group operating near contested maritime zones.
Despite the strategic significance of this deployment, the British military has yet to release an official statement. A request for comment has been submitted by Iran International to the Royal Navy.
