The UK Carrier Strike Group (UKCSG) is a carrier battle group of the Royal Navy. It has existed in various forms since the mid-2000s. Between 2006 and 2011, the formation centred around the Royal Navy's s until the retirement of their Harrier GR9 strike aircraft in 2011 as a result of the Strategic Defence and Security Review. The UKCSG subsequently returned in February 2015 ahead of the entry into service of the new s, and . The aim of the CSG is to facilitate carrier-enabled power projection.
Overview Role As a unit within the Royal Navy, the UK Carrier Strike Group's role is to facilitate carrier-enabled power projection (CEPP) in support of the UK's interests. As a self-contained force, it is capable of operating independently or as part of a wider operation. The unit is centred around either of two Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers, which are designed to carry up to 40 aircraft each, with accompanying surface ships and submarines providing protection from air, surface and undersea threats. Initially, only one carrier strike group was to be maintained, however, under current strategic planning, two carrier strike groups will now be maintained with one held at very high readiness and the other at lower readiness. Both of these groups can surge and form a combined unit if required.
Size and composition The size and composition of the UKCSG varies depending on operational requirements which are decided upon during operational planning. A typical CSG consists of a Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier, two surface escorts (with one being a Type 23 frigate for anti-submarine warfare and the other being a Type 45 destroyer for anti-air warfare), a submarine and a fleet tanker. In the future, escort duties will also be provided by the Royal Navy's new Type 26 and Type 31 frigates. For replenishment-at-sea, the Royal Fleet Auxiliary provides its Tide-class fleet tankers, which were specifically designed to refuel the aircraft carriers, in addition to RFA Fort Victoria for dry stores. Fort Victoria is the only ship capable of resupplying the aircraft carriers with dry stores but a programme to replace her with three new fleet solid support ships is underway, aiming to deliver the first new vessel in 2031. As of 2024, the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary were experiencing considerable challenges keeping adequate numbers of destroyers, frigates and support ships at sea due to both personnel shortages and because of the age of some vessels. Until adequate numbers of escorts and support ships become more readily available (as newer vessels are projected to enter service in the latter 2020s and early 2030s), the deployment of a carrier strike group is increasingly reliant on ships provided by allies. Overseas, the UK has established a number of naval facilities to support the UKCSG, including the naval base and the UK Joint Logistics Support Base, which are located in Bahrain and Oman, respectively.
The Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers are designed to carry around 40 aircraft but can carry up to 72 at maximum capacity. Its Carrier Air Wing (CVW) will consist of up to 24 F-35B Lightning II multirole fighters by 2023. This is in addition to around 14 helicopters of varying types. For a maritime force protection tasking, the CVW may consist of Merlin HM2 helicopters operating in both the anti-submarine warfare and airborne early warning (AEW) roles. For a littoral manoeuvre package, it may consist of a mixture of Chinook and Merlin Mk3i/4 transport helicopters and Apache AH1 and/or Wildcat AH1 attack helicopters. By 2030, the Royal Navy aims to replace some of these helicopter platforms with medium-sized fixed wing unmanned aerial vehicles, currently known as Vixens, capable of undertaking strike, air-to-air refueling, electronic warfare and airborne early warning missions.
Previous formations
The Royal Navy has operated task groups centred around aircraft carriers since the introduction of , the world's first aircraft carrier with a full-length flight deck, in 1918. During the Second World War, it operated 85 aircraft carriers of various types which were deployed in task forces alongside battleships, destroyers and cruisers.
In 1950, during the Korea War, the Royal Navy deployed several aircraft carriers as part of a Commonwealth Task Force, which also comprised seven cruisers, eight destroyers, 14 frigates, two submarines, two depot ships, twelve tankers and a hospital ship. In 1956, during the Suez Crisis, the Mediterranean Fleet formed a combined naval task force with the French, named Task Force 345, which comprised five aircraft carriers, in addition to numerous cruisers, destroyers, frigates, minelayers, minesweepers and assault ships.
The 1982 Falklands War saw the deployment of a 127-ship naval task force to retake the Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands after they had been captured by Argentina. Rear Admiral Sandy Woodward, Flag Officer First Flotilla, was the senior officer off the Falklands, reporting to CINCFLEET. The aircraft carrier group, named Task Group 317.8, included the aircraft carriers and , alongside numerous escort and support ships.
During the 1990s, the Royal Navy deployed the aircraft carriers and HMS Invincible during the Yugoslav Wars. Ark Royal was the first to deploy as the lead ship of Task Group 612.02, which also included two frigates and three support ships. In January 1993, then-Captain Jeremy Blackham was appointed Commander Task Group 612.02, responsible directly to CINCFLEET, to support British UNPROFOR troops ashore, including, if necessary, helping them withdraw. Harrier jets operating from both carriers saw action, and one was shot down by an enemy surface-to-air missile.
In 2000, the aircraft carrier provided air protection for British forces involved in Operation Palliser, the British military intervention in the Sierra Leone Civil War. She operated as part of a task force which also included two escorts, a helicopter carrier and five support ships. Commodore Niall Kilgour, Commander Amphibious Task Group, served as the seagoing commander for the operation.
Commander Amphibious Task Group deployments included Operation Veritas in 2001. Commodore A.J.G. Miller became COMATG in July 2001. After September 2001, Illustrious also provided air protection to coalition forces during the invasion phase of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021). She was accompanied by three escorts and eight support ships. The ATG was also deployed for Operation Telic, the 2003 invasion of Iraq. HMS Ark Royal participated in the Iraq War as a helicopter carrier, alongside six escorts, eight minehunters, two submarines, a helicopter carrier and numerous support ships. Miller handed over command to his successor in September 2003.
Other previous deploying Royal Navy carrier commanders were Flag Officer, Third Flotilla and Commander United Kingdom Task Group.
Operational history (2006–2011)
The earliest iteration of the UK Carrier Strike Group originally formed in 2006 with Commodore Alan Richards in command. It centred around either of two s, and . In one of its final deployments, it demonstrated its capabilities alongside the US Navy off the east coast of the United States during Exercise Auriga in 2010. Following the exercise, the captain of Ark Royal remarked: "Today was a great opportunity for us to demonstrate some of the capabilities that the UK Carrier Strike Group has, particularly the GR9 Harrier and Merlin ASW helicopters operating from HMS Ark Royal". As an example of the size and composition of a UK CSG of that era, the Auriga CSG consisted of the aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal, along with her air wing of Harrier GR9 strike aircraft, Merlin HM1 anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopters and Sea King MK7 airborne surveillance and control (ASaC) helicopters. The aircraft carrier was escorted by the Type 42 destroyer and Type 23 frigate , in addition to French Navy submarine Perle and US Navy destroyer . of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary provided replenishment.
In 2010, the British government announced that all Harriers would be retired from service, along with HMS Ark Royal. This left Illustrious serving in a helicopter carrier role whilst replacement aircraft carriers and their associated air wings were procured. The UK Carrier Strike Group dissolved in 2011 with Commodore Simon J. Ancona as its final commander. Illustrious later went on to decommission in 2014, three years ahead of her replacements' entry into service.
Operational history (2015–present)
In 2015, the UKCSG was re-formed with Commodore Jerry Kyd as its commander. Under his direction, the UK CSG battle staff grew to include 22 core one-star battle staff by 2016. Kyd was later succeeded by Commodore Andrew Betton during the same year, who himself was succeeded in 2018 by Commodore Mike Utley, before the current commander, Commodore Stephan Moorhouse, took command in 2019. Prior to the entry into service of HMS Queen Elizabeth and her sister ship Prince of Wales, the Royal Navy cooperated with its allies to preserve and develop its skills in carrier strike group operations. This primarily involved Royal Navy ships and personnel training with US Navy and French carrier strike groups.
The current UKCSG assembled at sea for the first time in October 2020 during Exercise Joint Warrior. It comprised a total of nine ships, 15 fighter aircraft (five from the Royal Air Force and 10 from the US Marine Corps), 11 helicopters and 3,000 personnel. The Royal Navy ships included the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth along with two frigates, two destroyers, a replenishment ship and a solid support ship. The US Navy and Royal Netherlands Navy also provided an escort each. The exercise saw the largest number of aircraft on a British aircraft carrier since 1983, in addition to the largest number of F-35Bs at sea across the globe. The exercise was a rehearsal for an operational deployment scheduled for 2021, known as CSG21.
Following Exercise Joint Warrior, the UK CSG reached its initial operating capability (IOC) milestone in January 2021. This milestone marked the successful operation of all components of the CSG and made it available for operational deployments for the first time.
Carrier Strike Group 21 (Operation Fortis, Exercise Steadfast Defender)
On 22 May 2021, following a farewell visit from Queen Elizabeth II, the UK Carrier Strike Group left HMNB Portsmouth on its first operational deployment, a seven-and-a-half month roundtrip to the Pacific, visiting over 40 countries. Joining lead ship HMS Queen Elizabeth were Type 45 destroyers and , Type 23 frigates and , Astute-class nuclear attack submarine and two Royal Fleet Auxiliary supply ships, and . United States Navy destroyer and of the Royal Netherlands Navy were also assigned to the strike group. In total, approximately 3,700 sailors, aviators and marines from across the three countries were involved with the deployment. The strike group's air component amounted to over 30 aircraft, the majority of which were onboard HMS Queen Elizabeth. These included eight F-35B Lightning multirole combat aircraft from No. 617 Squadron RAF and ten from the United States Marine Corps' VMFA-211 "Wake Island Avengers". Three Merlin HM2 Crowsnest airborne surveillance and control (ASaC) aircraft were also deployed on the type's first operational deployment.