RAAF train alongside Operation Highmast CSG.
Royal Australian Air Force No.11 Squadron deploy to India to train along side Royal Navy HMS Prince of Wales Carrier Strike Group, during the CSG Operation Highmast deployment.
Report: Jaryd Stock
Images: Jaryd Stock & ADF
The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is supporting a United Kingdom-led carrier strike group during a deployment to the Indo-Pacific under Operation Highmast.
The carrier strike group comprises of ships, aircraft and personnel from 12 nations over an eight-month deployment from Europe, and includes the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, and two squadrons of F-35B Lightning II aircraft.
In June, a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) P-8A Poseidon aircraft provided maritime surveillance for the carrier strike group during its transit through the North Indian Ocean.
RAAF deployed a single P-8A Poseidon from No.11 Squadron based at RAAF Base Edinburgh and contingent to Indian Naval Station (INS) Hansa located near the city of Goa, working alongside Indian Navy Air Squadron (INAS) 316 ‘Condors’, who provided operations and maintenance support.
The deployed enabled RAAF P-8A support to the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales and Carrier Strike Group sailing through the northern Indian Ocean under Operation Highmast .
The RAAF P-8A deployment follows previous deployments by RAAF P-8As to airfields in India, including to Goa in 2022; and deployments by Indian P-8Is to Australia.
INS Hansa near Goa is home to the Indian Navy’s fleet of P-8I Neptunes, a similar variant of the maritime patrol aircraft flown by the RAAF.
‘Members of RAAF P-8A Poseidon detachment from No 11 Squadron with Indian Navy P-8I Neptune and members of Indian Naval Air Squadron 316 ‘Condors during Operation HIGHMAST 2025- ADF
Royal Australian Navy destroyer HMAS Sydney is now integrated within the carrier strike group ahead of its participation in Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025 next month.
ADF support to Operation Highmast will include port and basing facilities for ships and aircraft in Australia; integration of ships and aircraft in the Indo-Pacific; and participation in Exercise Bersama Lima alongside Malaysia, New Zealand and Singapore.
Vice Admiral Justin Jones, Chief of Joint Operations, welcomed the opportunities for security cooperation during Operation High-mast.
“Deploying from Europe to Australia and sailing throughout the Indo-Pacific represents a significant logistical undertaking that we are proud to support,” Vice Admiral Jones said.
“We value the carrier strike group’s involvement in Exercise Talisman Sabre 25, marking the first time a non-US aircraft carrier has participated in this exercise.
“Operation Highmast presents an opportunity for training and integration of ADF personnel that ensures our respective workforces are prepared to respond to shared challenges.”
HMS Prince of Wales is the first Royal Navy aircraft carrier to visit Australian waters since 1997, when HMS Illustrious visited Fremantle.
Vice Admiral Jones said Operation Highmast reflected Australia’s commitment to strengthening engagement with Indo-Pacific partners.
“Operation Highmast enriches our training and defence engagement with regional partners, specifically Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and the United States,” he said.
“The ADF and British Armed Forces share a longstanding defence relationship, providing a strong foundation for our training with the carrier strike group.
“It is a shared value of our two nations to maintain security and stability and adherence to international law to ensure peace and prosperity in our region.”
A RAAF P-8A Poseidon with Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales in the northern Indian Ocean- ADF
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.