Portsmouth, UK — November 29, 2025 (Agencies) — The United Kingdom’s 2025 Carrier Strike Group (CSG) has returned home after completing an eight-month deployment across the Indo-Pacific, concluding Operation Highmast with the force formally declared fully operational and ready for NATO duties.
Led by HMS Prince of Wales, the task force arrived in Portsmouth on Sunday accompanied by HMS Dauntless and Norway’s HNoMS Roald Amundsen. HMS Richmond docked in Plymouth, while F-35B Lightning jets, Merlin and Wildcat helicopters, and drones returned to bases across England. Support ship RFA Tideforce reached Portland, though RFA Tidespring remains deployed.
At its peak, the deployment involved more than 4,000 UK personnel, operating with 30 nations, visiting 12 countries, and completing over 2,500 aviation sorties. The ships and aircraft covered more than 40,000 nautical miles, spending nearly half the mission east of Suez.
Commodore James Blackmore, who commanded the group, said the task force returns “stronger for NATO than it departed,” crediting years of effort to build up Carrier Strike capability. He described the declaration of full operating capability as the major milestone of 2025, proving that the Queen Elizabeth-class carrier and F-35B force now represent a mature front-line capability.
Lieutenant Commander James Callender, Executive Officer of HMS Richmond, praised his ship’s contributions, from enforcing UN resolutions in the Yellow Sea to conducting high-level engagements across the region.
The deployment’s achievements included operating alongside nine other carrier groups, UK F-35Bs landing on four foreign carriers, hosting 28 VVIPs, and welcoming more than 4,000 registered visitors. Officials also highlighted the economic impact, with 82 British companies leveraging the task group for export activity, generating an estimated £17 billion in potential deals.
The homecoming marks a significant milestone for the Royal Navy, reinforcing the UK’s global reach and its readiness to contribute to NATO operations.