HMS Prince of Wales arrives in Singapore.
United Kingdom’s Carrier Strike Group 25 flagship arrives into Singapore as it begins its Indo-Pacific cruise.
Article: Jaryd Stock
Images: UK Crown DoD
The United Kingdom Carrier Strike Group 25 (CSG25), led by the aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, has arrived in Singapore as part of Operation Highmast a significant eight-month deployment to the Indo-Pacific region. This mission underscores the United Kingdom’s commitment to regional security and diplomatic engagement.
CSG25 departed from Portsmouth, England, on April 22, 2025, marking the beginning of Operation Highmast. The deployment spans over 40 countries, including planned port visits to Singapore, Indonesia, Australia, Japan, and the Republic of Korea .
The Carrier strike group all consists of HMS Prince of Wales, its Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II aircraft wing with Merlin and Wildcat rotary wing assets embarked onboard, with ships from allied nations such as Canada, Norway, Spain, and New Zealand in the CSG25 fleet.
Strategic Objectives of this deployment for the UK aims to strengthen defence and trade ties, conduct joint exercises with regional partners, and demonstrate the UK’s enduring commitment to peace and security in the Indo-Pacific.
The port call in Singapore is a pivotal moment in Operation Highmast, serving as a platform for deepening defence cooperation and enhancing diplomatic relations. The UK Ministry of Defence welcomed the arrival with a message of friendship, emphasising the strengthening of regional ties through joint training and engagement.
This deployment marks the first time HMS Prince of Wales has ventured this far east, following its passage through the Suez Canal and the Red Sea, and entering Indo-Pacific waters.
The Air Wing currently embarked on the carrier consists of 18 F-35B Lightning II aircraft from Royal Air Force 617 Squadron and 809 Naval Air Squadron as well as 18 rotary wing aircraft such as the Merlin HC4 and Merlin HM2 Crows”nest helicopters with HMA2 Wildcat helicopters. Also embarked onboard are 4,000 Royal Navy, Royal Marines and Royal Air Force personnel.
23rd June 25 – F-35 Lightning jets of 617 Sqn and 809 NAS line up on the deck as Aircraft Carrier HMS Prince of Wales sails into Singapore.
As the deployment progresses, CSG25 is set to engage in a series of military exercises and diplomatic activities aimed at reinforcing the UK’s strategic partnerships and contributing to regional stability.
One of the key exercises the Prince of Wales and the embarked air wing onboard will participate in is Exercise Talisman Sabre 25 which is due to commence on July 13th and finish on August 4th.
This marks the first time the Royal Navy CSG has participated in the exercise combining with 19 countries with over 35,000 personnel participating in the exercise.
Other port visits include, Indonesia, Japan and the Republic of Korea which the UK government hopes will showcase British defence capabilities through trade demonstrations and fairs, directly supporting the Government’s Plan for Change through economic growth.
A port visit to Darwin, Australia, provides an opportunity to further develop the AUKUS partnership between Australia, the UK and the United States.
Royal Navy Commodore James Blackmore, Commander CSG said: “The deployment sends a powerful message that the UK and its allies are committed to security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. It’s a privilege to lead our sailors, marines, soldiers and aircrew as we demonstrate warfighting capability.”
“When we move from here next week, we head towards Australia (for) a large multinational exercise, before we then begin our transit up towards Japan through the Philippine Sea, where we’ll be working very, very closely as well with the United States Navy,” he said.
HMS Prince of Wales, arriving at the Port of Singapore- UK Crown DoD.
Jaryd Stock is based in Sydney Australia. He has been a die-hard aviation enthusiast from a young age when he was chauffeured around by his father to various airshows and airports around Australia. At his first Airshow he witnessed the awesomeness of a General Dynamics F-111C and immediately fell in love with aviation.
Jaryd picked up a camera at a young age and has never looked back. He now combines photography and writing to highlight “Downunder” aviation; especially U.S. DoD units. Jaryd uses Nikon cameras and lenses.