UK Carrier Strike Group returns to the Mediterranean

• Ships and personnel to participate in major NATO exercises after five months in Indo-Pacific.

• Deployment reinforces UK commitment to European security and NATO leadership.

• Italian-led Exercise 'Falcon Strike' will see cutting edge UK and Italian F-35s operating side-by-side.

The UK Carrier Strike Group will strengthen NATO security through major exercises in the Mediterranean following five months in the Indo-Pacific region. Defence Minister Alistair Carns and Minister for Europe, North America and Overseas Territories, Stephen Doughty, welcomed the ships and crews as they return to European waters.

Training side by side with the Italian, US and Greek Air Force - the UK's most advanced F-35 fighter jets will take part in day and night training scenarios, strengthening NATO's air capabilities, deterring our adversaries and boosting the alliance's security.

The Carrier Strike Group returned to the Mediterranean via the Red Sea and the Suez Canal. This followed five months of operations in the Indo-Pacific, including support to UK economic growth with major defence industry and trade showcases across the region.

HMS Prince of Wales leads the deployment, which included up to 4,000 UK military personnel alongside Norway, NATO, and regional partners.

Minister for the Armed Forces, Al Carns, said:

Spending six months away from home, on the far side of the world, ready at a moment's notice to defend your life and the lives of your fellow shipmates - is a big ask for anyone.

But visiting HMS Prince of Wales at NATO facilities in Crete, and meeting just some of the 4,000 personnel supporting this mammoth deployment, I saw the unique bond shared between members of our Navy and Armed Forces in action - the determination and dedication they bring to an extraordinary job.

Deployments like this, which see us training alongside NATO allies and expanding our defence relations around the world, are critical to boosting our national security - keeping us secure at home and strong abroad.

Minister of State for Europe, North America and Overseas Territories, Stephen Doughty, said:

The Carrier Strike Group's work with European partners is a clear signal to allies and adversaries alike of our commitment to a safer, more secure region.

I am particularly proud of the work of our armed forces personnel building the crucial capabilities and relationships that underpin our NATO alliance on sea, air and land - and it was a pleasure to meet them.

Our own security at home, and that of Europe as a whole, depends on European and transatlantic cooperation between friends and allies, with the UK leading from the front in this deployment.

The Carrier Strike Group will now participate in Exercise Falcon Strike, a large-scale air and maritime exercise where the UK will integrate air and maritime forces in the Italian-led exercise, whilst working in support of NATO.

The deployment demonstrates the government's Plan for Change commitment to make Britain secure at home and strong abroad. National security provides the foundation for economic growth, protecting vital trade routes and supporting thousands of British jobs in defence manufacturing and innovation.

During this phase, the Carrier Strike Group will conduct a series of engagements with NATO and EU countries, through port visits to Greece, Albania, Italy and Spain. This includes defence and foreign policy engagement to deepen bilateral partnerships and defence industrial collaboration.

It comes as the Minister for the Armed Forces met with personnel during a visit to Crete, where HMS Prince of Wales stopped to refuel at the NATO facility at Souda Bay.

Commodore James Blackmore, Commander of the Carrier Strike Group, said:

It is fantastic to be back in the Mediterranean after a hugely successful period in the Indo-Pacific and a transit of the Red Sea. The upcoming exercises with NATO allies will be a real demonstration of the warfighting readiness of the UK Carrier Strike Group.

The eight-month deployment covers over 26,000 nautical miles and engages with 40 nations, reinforcing the UK's position as a leading European power delivering fifth-generation aircraft and carrier capabilities assigned as a primary contribution to NATO.