Carrier Strike Group 2021 - CSG21

[Pelican]

The Start of Something Special - CSG21 & HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH


The Royal Navy currently has two aircraft carriers at sea off the coast of the UK in different stages of working up. HMS PRINCE OF WALES is undergoing sea training and getting ready to carry out a range of flying trials and duties this year ahead of embarking on her programme.

Meanwhile HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH is now at sea with at the heart of a Carrier Strike Group standing up alongside her. At the time of writing, she has now embarked around 18 F35 fighters, and about 9 Merlin helicopters, ensuring that there are nearly 30 aircraft on board.

This represents one of the largest carrier air groups to operate from a Royal Navy carrier in decades, and in terms of raw capability, is to date, the single most potent airwing ever embarked by a British aircraft carrier.

Continues, including images, at:
https://thinpinstripedline.blogspot.com ... 05dyJe0wJw

[Pelican]

STRIKE WARRIOR - See: https://twitter.com/smrmoorhouse/status ... 31/photo/1

[Pelican]

See - https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-l ... gets-ready

[Pelican]

Britain is sending a huge naval force through some of the most tense waters in Asia

Hong Kong (CNN) - The largest naval flotilla assembled by Britain in recent years will set sail in May on a months' long voyage through the Pacific, the country's Defense Ministry said Monday.

Continues, with an embedded 4 min. video which is worth viewing, at:
https://edition.cnn.com/2021/04/26/euro ... index.html

[Pelican]

Carrier Strike Group

RFA Fort Victoria suffered a minor fire while alongside in Portland on the morning of the 10th May. It was extinguished by the crew with no serious injuries. This ship is the sole UK solid stores support ship available to replenish the carrier strike group.
After a week of participating in a workup in UK waters with the CSG, Fort Vic returned to Portland. Local fire and ambulance services were called to the ship at 0732 but the fire was extinguished by the ship’s company. Fortunately, it appears no one was seriously hurt, although some of the crew were treated at the scene and 4 of the crew were taken to hospital. All sailors are highly trained in firefighting but it is standard procedure for civilian firefighters to be called to any fire when alongside. Fires in confined spaces are potentially deadly and smoke inhalation is a particular hazard. The ship is equipped with fixed firefighting systems but Fort Vic recently embarked a full load of fuel, ammunition and stores for the forthcoming deployment. A speedy and professional response to any fire on board is obviously vital.

Etc.

Re. attached photo: "Thanks to their folding rotors and tail added during their conversion to Mk4 standard, for the first time three Merlin helicopters were squeezed into Fort Vic’s hangar. This is an important option to have in the event of foul weather as the cabs are much better protected than when lashed to the flight deck. Space for carrying out maintenance is very restricted and at least one would normally be kept on deck."

Complete article at:
https://www.navylookout.com/minor-fire- ... eCOlzeHC9U

[Pelican]

All packed up and ready to go - 2 photos - https://twitter.com/HMSQNLZ/status/1392 ... 51/photo/1

[Pelican]

HMS Queen Elizabeth, HMS Albion meet up with USS Iwo Jima
May 17, 2021
15 warships from HMS Queen Elizabeth’s Carrier Strike Group, HMS Albion’s Littoral Response Group and the USS Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group met up off the coast of Scotland.
https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/hms-que ... qqHmyox-6g

[Pelican]

Q.E. Returning early believed to be to pick replacement stores lost on RFA F.V. due fridge fire.

[Pelican]

NAVY LOOKOUT - Independent Royal Navy news and analysis
MAY 18, 2021
PHOTO ESSAY Exercise Strike Warrior

In preparation for the forthcoming deployment, the Carrier Strike Group participated in a much-changed version of the biannual Joint Warrior exercise, renamed Strike Warrior, off North West Scotland. This provided an opportunity to work up the group as well as operate with NATO partners.
Here we round-up events since the group sailed on 1st May.
[Note the last paragraph. An excellent collection of photos.]
See:
https://www.navylookout.com/photo-essay ... utiP-dnopI

[Pelican]

Royal Navy and US task groups gather in impressive show of naval power

Fifteen allied ships from five NATO nations gathered in the North Atlantic in one of the most impressive showings of naval strength in recent memory.
Two Royal Navy task groups, the Carrier Strike Group and the Littoral Response Group (North) sailed in tandem with the US Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group off the Scottish coastline.

The impressive line-up included HMS Queen Elizabeth, USS Iwo Jima, USS San Antonio, RFA Tidespring, HMS Albion, USS Arleigh Burke, USS Ross, USS Sullivans, HMS Defender, HMS Diamond, FS Normandie , HDMS Esbern Snare, HMoMS Fridtjof Nansen, HMS Lancaster and
RFA Mounts Bay.

Aboard the ships of the multinational task groups are more than 7,000 personnel from five NATO countries – UK, USA, Norway, France and Denmark.

For the Royal Navy, it is a significant moment as the Carrier Strike Group – centred on aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth – prepares to head off on its global deployment, while the Littoral Response Group (North), with HMS Albion at its heart, heads for missions in Northern European waters.
Continues, incl. 14 photos, at:
https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-l ... s-together