Carrier Strike Group 2021 - CSG21

[ivorthediver]

Excellent post David no excuses now eh.......

[Pelican]

Commander UK Carrier Strike Group Retweeted

HMS Defender

It was an honour to be invited to lay a wreath at the Monument to Unknown Sailor and pay our respects to all sailors who died in the defence and liberation of Odesa during World War I

4 Photos at - https://twitter.com/HMSDefender/status/ ... 97/photo/1

[Pelican]

U.K.’s newest carrier joins IS fight, stirs Russian interest

Britain’s newest aircraft carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth, is helping to take on the “lion’s share” of operations against the Islamic State group in Iraq, U.K. naval commanders said. It has also piqued the interest of Russian warplanes, who try to keep tabs on its cutting-edge F-35 jet in a “cat-and-mouse” game with British and U.S. pilots.

Speaking aboard the 65,000-ton carrier on its first-ever deployment, Commodore Steve Moorhouse said the U.K. is carrying out most of the missions to wipe out the remnants of IS in Iraq as the U.S. focuses on its withdrawal from Afghanistan.

“At the moment, we’re taking on the lion’s share of that operation over Iraq, which is a fantastic, say, feather in our cap. But an achievement that ‘A’, we’re trusted and ‘B’, that we’re able to do that,” Moorhouse told reporters Sunday.

It’s the first time that a U.K. aircraft carrier is supporting live military operations on the ground in over two decades, projecting British military power on a global scale. Moorhouse said the carrier offers the U.K. flexibility in how to conduct military operations abroad and “keeps those that wish to cause us harm ... on their toes.”

He said the eastern Mediterranean has become more “congested and contested” over the last decade in light of the heavier Russian military presence in Syria, which is resulting in regular encounters with Russian ships and warplanes.

Continues, including 10 images with info below them, at:
https://apnews.com/article/islamic-stat ... 3ee24f6ec4

Link from Tim.


For 2 Tweets from Danielle Sheridan Sheridan of the Telegraph go to: https://twitter.com/SheridanDani/status ... 4391474196


The UK’s Carrier Strike Group has joined the fight against Daesh with F-35 jets carrying out their very first combat missions from HMS Queen Elizabeth.

Stealth jets of the renowned 617 Squadron RAF (The Dambusters) carried out operational sorties for the first time in support of Operation Shader and US Operation Inherent Resolve.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said: “The ability to operate from the sea with the most advanced fighter jets ever created is a significant moment in our history, offering reassurance to our allies and demonstrating the UK’s formidable air power to our adversaries.
Continues + photos at:
https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-l ... -op-shader


From Navy Lookout - https://www.navylookout.com/first-comba ... x-FwrirfRU

[Pelican]

OPERATION SHADER

Hopefully there will be a Photo Essay in due course so personally I will only post links and photos of special interest:
F-35Bs launch from HMS Queen Elizabeth - Video shows F-35Bs launching from the deck of HMS Queen Elizabeth as the vessel and her air wing join the fight against Islamic State. These are the first ever combat sorties flown from the carrier.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7P2cXd4UWFk&t=24s

[Pelican]

WHAT IS WHERE ~ Source D.A. Simpson

[Pelican]

The UK Carrier Strike Group's involvement in the fight against Daesh marks a change of emphasis for the task group, which has spent previous weeks working with NATO allies and partners.

From exercises and international engagements, it is now delivering its full might of naval and air power, putting the “strike” into Carrier Strike Group in support of Operation Shader.

See:
https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-l ... -op-shader

[Pelican]

OPERATION SHADER


MOD statement and 2 F35Bs over Iraq on the first mission.

Note ASRAAMs - contents of bomb bays not disclosed.

[Pelican]

F-35B jets to join the fight against Daesh from the Carrier Strike Group

See:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/f-35 ... rike-group

[Pelican]

CSG21 STATUS & DISPOSITION - AS OF 27/06/21

The following is a status report on CSG21 and its elements.
HMS Queen Elizabeth - Eastern Med/Op Shader
T45 HMS Diamond As R08
T23 HMS Richmond As R08
RFA Fort Victoria. As R08
RFA Tidespring As R08
Astute SSN - Somewhere!
T23 HMS Kent - Piraeus and area - Defence Diplomacy, Greek Navy liaison & maintenance
T45 HMS Defender - Black Sea Ex Sea Breeze
HNLMS Evertsen - Black Sea Ex Sea Breeze
DDG USS The Sullivans - Gaeta visit. Italy
It is expected the full CSG21 will fully regroup in several weeks in readiness for its Suez Canal transit. Next port of call for R08 is anticipated to be Dumq in Oman for R&R and maintenance later in July .
Origin - D.A. Simpson.

[Pelican]

Commander UK Carrier Strike Group smrmoorhouse

Ahead of HMSQNLZ's arrival in Limassol, here's my message to the United Kingdom's friends and partners in Cyprus.

See/listen to - https://twitter.com/smrmoorhouse/status ... 6942963712