Portsmouth, England – The Carrier Strike Group set sail today from Portsmouth, beginning the UK’s premier naval deployment of 2025.

Leading the mission is HMS Prince of Wales, the Royal Navy’s flagship aircraft carrier. The deployment will last eight months.

The task force is headed to the Indo-Pacific, aiming to support international security and freedom across key global regions.

Named OP HIGHMAST, the mission will include joint operations with the air, sea, and land forces of a dozen allied nations.

Exercises and operations will take place in the Mediterranean, Middle East, Southeast Asia, Japan, and Australia.

The deployment highlights the UK’s dedication to defense partnerships and free navigation from the Atlantic to the Pacific.

It also offers a platform to support British trade and showcase national industry on the global stage.

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