[By Observer Net, Mountain Cat]
On June 23, media outlets such as Asia News Network of Singapore and The Strait Times reported that the British Navy's "Queen Elizabeth" class aircraft carrier "Prince of Wales" (R09) arrived in Singapore on the same day, mooring at the Marina Bay Cruise Centre (MBCC) pier in the south of the city, while other ships in the carrier group moored at nearby Singapore Naval Base.
The UK Ministry of Defence tweeted on the same day that the "Prince of Wales" arrived in Singapore, aiming to strengthen relations with regional allies through joint training and military interactions, demonstrating "the UK's commitment to peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region".
The official social media account of the UK Ministry of Defence
The "Prince of Wales" will remain in Singapore for a week. The UK High Commissioner to Singapore, Nikesh Mehta, stated that this visit marks the "key year" of the relationship between the UK and Singapore. During the stay, the carrier will receive visits from Singaporean military and political officials, arms and security contractors, business, trade, and scientific research representatives, and will also select 600 people out of 8,000 applicants to tour the ship.
On April 22, the "Prince of Wales" set off from Portsmouth Naval Base for an eight-month deployment, serving as the core of the UK Carrier Strike Group (CSG25) heading to the so-called "India-Pacific" region. The strike group also included multiple ships from Norway and Canada, and later Australian vessels will join the formation. The Royal Navy named this mission "Operation Highmast 25", marking the first time the "Prince of Wales" has been deployed to the Pacific region since its commissioning.
On April 29, the British carrier strike group composed of multi-national ships passed through the Strait of Gibraltar into the Mediterranean Sea. On May 24, satellite images showed the "Prince of Wales" passing through the Suez Canal. After cruising in the Red Sea for about ten days, the carrier group entered the Indian Ocean on June 3 through the Bab el Mandeb Strait.
The "Prince of Wales" passing through the Suez Canal
During the journey towards the Pacific, the "Prince of Wales" also met with the Indian Navy in the western part of the Arabian Sea for joint exercises. The British carrier fleet also plans to make a port visit to India during its return journey later this year. During this period, a F-35B carrier-based aircraft from the carrier made an emergency landing at Trivandrum International Airport in India on June 14 due to "adverse weather conditions". After landing, it was found that the aircraft had "serious hydraulic failure". Although the Indian side stated that "it would provide all possible assistance", possibly due to "technical protection", the UK refused to move the aircraft into the hangar prepared by India. As of the 23rd local time, the aircraft remained on the open-air parking area of the Indian airport.
Joint exercises between the British carrier strike group and the Indian Navy's Talwar-class (11356) F44 "Tabar" frigate
The F-35B carrier-based aircraft from the "Prince of Wales" making an emergency landing at the Indian airport
According to the plan, after visiting Singapore, the carrier will go to Australia to participate in the multinational joint exercise "Talisman Sabre 2025" starting on July 13 in Australia. It is said to be the largest "Talisman Sabre" in history, with participation from 19 countries including the US, UK, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, and South Korea. During the return journey in September, the carrier will also participate in another exercise under the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA), which includes the UK, Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, and Singapore.
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Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7519425505309901312/
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