UK deploys largest Naval Force in years for 8-month Indo-Pacific operation

The United Kingdom is preparing to launch its largest naval deployment in years, led by the aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, for an eight-month mission spanning the Indo-Pacific.

The operation, codenamed Operation Highmast, will include nearly 5,000 personnel from 12 allied nations, including NATO members and partners such as France, Italy, Spain, Sweden, and Denmark.

The HMS Prince of Wales will lead the multinational strike group through key strategic waters near India, Southeast Asia, South Korea, and Japan.

While the official aim is to reinforce deterrence against rivals like China, Russia, and North Korea, analysts suggest the deployment also reflects broader tensions among US allies in Asia regarding Washington’s foreign policy under a potential second Trump administration.The strike group is scheduled to depart Portsmouth on April 22, beginning with exercises in the Mediterranean before transiting the Suez Canal. From there, it will conduct joint drills with the Indian military, followed by operations with Malaysian and Indonesian forces in June, and a stop in Darwin, northern Australia.

The group will then participate in Exercise Talisman Sabre with Australia, the US, and New Zealand, before heading to South Korea for maritime interdiction drills aimed at enforcing UN sanctions against North Korea.

Japan will also play a role, with special forces participating in defense operations around Tokyo. The carrier is expected to dock in Tokyo Bay in late August for further joint exercises before returning to India and then the UK via the Suez Canal, wrapping up the 227-day mission in December.The UK Ministry of Defence has not confirmed whether the fleet will sail through the Taiwan Strait. 

The British task force will include a Type 45 destroyer, a Type 23 frigate, a Tide-class tanker, at least one submarine, and support ships for two squadrons of F-35B Lightning jets and helicopters aboard the Prince of Wales.

According to the UK Defence Journal, this marks the first time two F-35B squadrons will be deployed together on a British carrier, showcasing the Royal Navy’s growing maritime airpower.

Defence Secretary John Healey described the mission as "highly complex" but underscored Britain’s global military reach, South China Morning Post report.

(2025/04/14-00:00)