The HMS Prince of Wales is currently on a worldwide deployment that will take it through some of the world’s “hottest” regions.
Lately, there has been much talk about the ability of Europe to defend itself without the assistance of the United States. As the cornerstone of NATO, the United States, of course, is the single most important member of the transatlantic alliance. However, the European members of NATO also have potent capabilities. And there is no better way to show these capabilities than by having two aircraft carrier battle groups join forces.
Europe’s NATO Members Have a Sea of Warships
This week, the Italian ITS Cavour and British HMS Prince of Wales aircraft carriers joined forces in the Mediterranean for a week-long exercise designed to increase interoperability between the two navies and bolster NATO’s deterrence. The total combined force of the two carrier battlegroups is impressive: 21 surface combatants, 3 submarines, 41 fighter jets, 19 helicopters, 10 patrol aircraft, and over 8,000 sailors and marines.
The ITS Cavour is the flagship of the Italian Navy and its sole aircraft carrier. The HMS Prince of Wales is the current flagship of the Royal Navy, though the role rotates between the aircraft carrier and its sister ship, the HMS Queen Elizabeth.
“Working together with allies is critical to what we do. We are stronger together, so we work hard to make our combined operations seamless,” Captain Colin McGannity, who commands Commander Air Group within the UK Carrier Strike Group, said in a press release.
During the exercise, the two aircraft carrier battlegroups worked on a variety of mission sets, including anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, air dominance, and counter-drone operations. Both the ITS Cavour and HMS Prince of Wales operate F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter jets. Because the two aircraft carriers are designed with a ramp at the end of their decks, they use the “B” version of the F-35, which can take off from shorter runways and land vertically.
The HMS Prince of Wales is currently on a worldwide deployment that will take it through some of the world’s “hottest” regions—including the Red Sea, where the Houthis are attacking commercial shipping, the Indian Ocean, where tensions between Pakistan and India are sky-high, and the Pacific Ocean, where China’s pugnacity around Taiwan and the South China Sea is almost a daily occurrence.
“The goal is to reaffirm the UK’s commitment to the security of the Mediterranean and Indo-Pacific region, demonstrate collective resolve with our allies and showcase British trade and industry,” the Royal Navy said in a statement.
The Royal Navy is currently undergoing a period of rapid change. Only this week, the U.K. government appointed a new First Sea Lord, General Sir Gwyn Jenkins KCB OBE RM, after his predecessor, Admiral Sir Ben Key, was removed from his post over allegations of misconduct. This was the first time in almost 500 years that the most senior Royal Navy officer was removed from his duties for misconduct.
About the Author: Stavros Atlamazoglou
Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing in special operations and a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ). He holds a BA from the Johns Hopkins University and an MA from the Johns Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP.
Image: Shutterstock / Kevin Shipp.
