"Showcases strength": Powerful HMS Prince of Wales in Japan after major drills with USS George Washington
.jpg?width=96&crop=1:1,smart)
Impressive naval strength was on display from the Royal Navy flagship after carrying out major operations with two carriers.
HMS Prince of Wales, currently at the helm of the UK Carrier Strike Group (UKCSG), has arrived in Yokosuka following a nine-day workout with Japanese and American naval forces. Naval and aircraft exercises took place in the Northern Philippine Sea, which included the huge US aircraft carrier USS George Washington and the Japanese warship JS Kaga.
During the major large-deck exercise between the three allied task forces - as part of Operation Highmast - a British F-35B fighter jet landed on a Japanese ship for the first time. The large-scale exercise brought together four battle groups, with USS George Washington’s Carrier Strike Group Five, USMC Amphibious Ready Group centred on USS America, Japan’s Kaga Battle Group, and the UKCSG all involved.
Commodore James Blackmore, Commander UK Carrier Strike Group said: “Bringing together the large deck forces from the UK, Japan, and US, as well as escort vessels from Spain, Norway, and Australia, in such close-range showcases the strength and inter-changeability of our combined task groups. Operating together during the many evolutions over the past few weeks demonstrates the enhanced interoperability and the commitment of our partners and allies to the Indo-Pacific region.”
What happened during the exercises?
A total of 11 ships and 23 aircraft were involved from the UK, USA, Japan, Australia, Spain and Norway. The Royal Navy said this “underscored multinational cooperation, demonstrated world-class military capabilities, and proved they can operate seamlessly together as they continued to forge deeper and lasting bonds”. HMS Prince of Wales and HMNS Dauntless are in Yokosuka Naval Base.
This visit to Japan is expected to last three weeks. Throughout the nine-day operation, various large-scale training serials took place. This included tactical intercepts, a fighter jet maritime strike serial, and fighting manoeuvres known as dog fights. These exercises culminated in fighter jets flying in a close formation during a fly-past over HMS Prince of Wales. Anti-submarine warfare drills and other flying operations took place, with personnel working with different task forces.
.jpeg?crop=3:2,smart&trim=&width=640&quality=65)
Lieutenant Commander Dan Latham, 809 Naval Air Squadron said: “It was a real privilege and the highlight of my embarkation so far to land the first UK F35B on JS Kaga. Although the hard work to enable this evolution had taken months to prepare, on the day itself all force elements integrated seamlessly. It truly demonstrated the ease with which the UK and Japan can operate together in the Indo-Pacific region, now and in the future.”
Lieutenant Rob Callaway, 845 Naval Air Squadron, added: “Flying to the Kaga was a great experience. It was my first time flying to a Japanese vessel and they were incredibly professional and welcoming. I am looking forward to working with them again in the future.”
The carrier group will now be going into mid-deployment maintenance, giving sailors a well-deserved break before resuming their mission. HMS Prince of Wales will visit Tokyo from late August to early September, with various diplomatic duties planned. Type 23 frigate HMS Richmond and Royal Fleet Auxiliary tanker RFA Tidespring are visiting Busan in South Korea.