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HMS Queen Elizabeth Leads the Way for Carrier Strike Group’s Historical Mission

It’s official: the HMS Queen Elisabeth has started her maiden operational deployment as leader of the UK’s Carrier Strike Group.
HMS Queen Elizabeth sailed from Portsmouth on her first deployment 6 photos
Photo: Royal Navy
Her Majesty The Queen attended the eventHMS Queen ElizabethUSS Sullivan also departed from PortsmouthUSS Sullivan also departed from PortsmouthHMS Queen Elizabeth
The HMS Queen Elizabeth sailed from Portsmouth, on Saturday, after completing her training within the complex Strike Warrior 21 series of exercises, along with the other ships in the Carrier Strike Group. As she is the leader of this impressive group with an important mission, it was only natural for Her Majesty The Queen to be present at this once-in-a-lifetime event and bid her farewell.

It’s been an intense first half of the year for this Royal ship. After becoming operational at the beginning of the year, the 65,000-ton aircraft carrier recently completed extensive training, in order to be fully prepared for her first mission ever. No less than 20 ships, 150 aircraft and 3 submarines were part of this multinational military exercise, off the Scottish coast.

Strike Warrior 21 also marked historical premieres for the Royal Navy. For the first time in 15 years, British F-35 fighter jets conducted missile firings at sea. During the exercise, they launched from HMS Queen Elizabeth’s deck, successfully intercepting Mirach target drones. Then, after Strike Warrior ended, UK’s newest aircraft carriers, HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales, met at sea for the first time.

According to Royal Navy officials, HMS Queen Elizabeth is at the heart of what can be considered the most significant “peacetime deployment in a generation”. On this journey, she is joined by destroyers HMS Diamond and Defender, among other ships, as well as an Astute-class submarine and over 30 aircraft.

This mission, which is set to unfold over the next 7 months, will cover 26,000 nautical miles and 40 nations will be visited along the way. After sailing through the Atlantic Ocean, the Group led by the Royal Navy’s flagship will participate in exercises in the Mediterranean, with other ships, including French carrier FS Charles De Gaulle. Then, the Group will head towards the Indian Ocean and the Pacific, where it will take part in further exercises.
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About the author: Otilia Drăgan
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Otilia believes that if it’s eco, green, or groundbreaking, people should know about it (especially if it's got wheels or wings). Working in online media for over five years, she's gained a deeper perspective on how people everywhere can inspire each other.
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