British Carrier Strike Group gathers in North Sea for key exercise ahead of 2025 deployment.

According to information published by the UK MoD on October 14, 2024, the Royal Navy task group, led by the UK Carrier Strike Group, has assembled in the North Sea for Exercise Strike Warrior, a critical military drill designed to prepare for a major global deployment in 2025.
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Royal Navy's F-35B on the aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales. (Picture source: UK MoD)

The HMS Prince of Wales serves as the focal point of the operation, which brings together a range of warships, submarines, F-35B Lightning jets, and Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels off the coast of Scotland.

The exercise, taking place over two weeks, marks an important stage in the preparations for Carrier Strike Group 25, which will see British naval forces embark on a worldwide mission similar to HMS Queen Elizabeth's 2021 deployment to Japan. Exercise Strike Warrior will test the task group's readiness to operate seamlessly as a cohesive unit across a wide range of warfare scenarios, including anti-submarine operations, air defense, and countering unmanned threats. The drills are being coordinated from HMS Prince of Wales by Commodore James Blackmore and his battle staff.

Key participants include HMS Portland, a Type 23 frigate specializing in submarine hunting, HMS Dauntless, a Type 45 destroyer providing air defense, and an Astute-class submarine capable of neutralizing adversary submarines and delivering Tomahawk missile strikes. RAF aircraft, including Merlin helicopters and P8 Maritime Patrol Aircraft, are also contributing to the task group's capabilities.

The exercise is also significant for 809 Naval Air Squadron, whose F-35B jets will be conducting mock long-range strikes into mainland Europe. This marks the squadron's first deployment on HMS Prince of Wales since its reactivation last year.

Context

This reflects a shared focus on maritime security, particularly in Northern Europe, as the North Sea and surrounding waters remain strategically critical given recent Russian naval activities and the ongoing war in Ukraine. It also signifies a broader commitment to securing NATO's northern flank and the Arctic region, areas where tensions with Russia are rising.

At a time when global naval competition is intensifying—especially with China's expanding naval power in the Indo-Pacific—the UK’s emphasis on global deployment also signals its intention to assert influence far beyond Europe. The exercise can be seen as a response to the increasingly multipolar world, where regional powers are vying for influence and control of strategic maritime corridors.