British aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales leads NATO exercise with 24 F-35B fighters

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Porta-aviões britânico HMS Prince of Wales lidera exercício da OTAN com 24 caças F-35B
British aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales leads NATO exercise with 24 F-35B fighter jets (X @RoyalNavy)

The British aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales has entered a new phase of its international mission by leading the UK Carrier Strike Group to the Mediterranean for the Falcon Strike exercise organized by NATO.

The vessel now hosts 24 F-35B Lightning fighter jets, the largest number ever embarked on a Queen Elizabeth-class ship and the largest fifth-generation aircraft contingent ever assembled by the Royal Navy.

During the operation, the British jets will operate alongside air and naval forces from Italy, the United States, and Greece in day and night training focused on strengthening interoperability and the alliance’s joint combat power. According to Commodore James Blackmore, the exercise marks a milestone in the combat readiness of the British group and reinforces the United Kingdom’s role as a European power capable of operating next-generation aircraft and aircraft carriers in support of NATO.

The return to the Mediterranean comes after five months of activities in the Indo-Pacific as part of Operation Highmast, which aimed to expand the UK’s global presence and strengthen international partnerships. This new phase includes participation from the Italian frigate ITS Luigi Rizzo and ships from Norway and the United Kingdom, bringing together around 4,000 military personnel.

During a stop in Crete, command of the Prince of Wales was transferred from Captain Will Blackett to Captain Ben Power.

Source: UK Defence Journal | Photo: X @RoyalNavy | This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team

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