HMS Queen Elizabeth sailed on 8th September to lead the RN’s first major carrier strike group deployment since 2021. Known as operation FIREDRAKE, the group will undertake of a series of exercises in northern European waters working closely with JEF and NATO partner nations.
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The Merlin helicopters equipped with the Crowsnest ASaC role kit are a critical aspect of the carrier strike programme. In this article, we look at how the troubled Crowsnest development project and efforts to bring the system into frontline service have progressed in the last year or so.
HMS Queen Elizabeth, her air group and escorts recently conducted a three-week period of training and re-familiarisation. Here we round up RN aircraft carrier activity for the latter part of this year.
RFA Fort Victoria suffered a minor fire while alongside in Portland on the morning of the 10th May. It was extinguished by the crew with no serious injuries. This ship is the sole UK solid stores support ship available to replenish the carrier strike group.
The ships of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary are a critical enabler for the Royal Navy, delivering logistic and operational support worldwide. Here we look at the status of the fleet and how it may be employed this year. More
For all the talk of HMS Queen Elizabeth’s warfighting capabilities, the fact remains that for the majority of her service life, she will be a tool of influence, not one of direct action. In this article, Tom Sharpe looks at how this deployment should be communicated so as to maximise its effect.
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This week the Royal Navy’s complete Carrier Strike Group assembled for the first time in the North Sea. The multi-national group worked up together in preparation for the more demanding exercise Joint Warrior that begins this week.
As the clock runs down to the first operational carrier strike group deployment, Lockheed Martin, Thales and Leonardo are working to complete and flight-test the Crowsnest system that will provide airborne early warning capability. Here we take a look at the progress on the project.
The RN is about to start a multi-national Carrier Strike Group exercise while also deploying the Littoral Response Group. Here we round up the plans for the next few weeks.More