Formations at sea, partnerships ashore: CSG25 sails with South Korean navy
The Royal Navy's Carrier Strike Group has been sailing in tight formation alongside warships from the Republic of Korea Navy during a maritime exercise in the Indo-Pacific.
Aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, the Navy's 65,000-tonne flagship, staged an aerial demonstration involving F-35B jets in international waters off Busan.
She also hosted South Korean visitors on board during a port stop in the city, highlighting the close defence ties between London and Seoul.
Sailing in formation
Three British vessels, HMS Prince of Wales, HMS Dauntless and HMS Richmond, lined up alongside three South Korean counterparts.
HMS Prince of Wales led ROKS Soyang, ROKS Kang Gam Chan and ROKS Nampo alongside the Type 45 destroyer and the Type 23 frigate.
The exercise was designed to test the ability of the two navies to manoeuvre together at close quarters, a key element of operating as part of a multinational task group.
Carrier Strike Group 25's mission is to strengthen partnerships through exercises with allies, including the United States, Japan, Australia, Canada, Norway and most recently South Korea.
HMAS Brisbane rejoins after transiting Taiwan
Royal Australian Navy destroyer HMAS Brisbane conducted a Taiwan Strait transit with Canadian frigate HMCS Ville de Québec last week, monitored by the Chinese forces, before resuming regional operations and linking back up with her allies.
Beijing, which sees Taiwan as its own territory, described the transition through the strait as a provocation.
Other navies, including the US, occasionally transit the Taiwan Strait, considering it an international waterway.
Hosting ROK visitors
While HMS Prince of Wales hosted South Korean military guests during her stop in Busan, HMS Richmond welcomed Luke Pollard on board, who travelled to South Korea to meet the ship's crew.
Mr Pollard, who was Armed Forces Minister at the time of the visit but is now Defence Procurement Minister, met ministers to discuss deeper defence relationships between South Korea and the UK.
"With North Korea supplying weapons to Putin and DPRK troops fighting alongside Russia against Ukraine it is more obvious that the Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic security are indivisible and alliances and security friendships across the world are vital not just for our trade but our security too," he said.
He also visited the demilitarised zone and laid a wreath at the UN cemetery in Busan, where more than 800 British troops killed in the Korean War are buried.
More than halfway through the mission
CSG25, also known as Operation Highmast, is an eight-month deployment that started in April 2025.
So far, HMS Prince of Wales has led the task group through the Mediterranean, Middle East and Indian Ocean, having visited Singapore, Australia and Japan.
The Carrier Strike Group is now on its last leg of the deployment, expected to be home in December.
For more reports about Carrier Strike Group 25, click here.
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