HMS Prince of Wales leads Carrier Strike Group through Suez Canal after Indo-Pacific mission

The UK's Carrier Strike Group has completed its transit through the Suez Canal, marking the start of its return from the Indo-Pacific under Operation Highmast.

Led by fleet flagship HMS Prince of Wales, the group has spent the past eight months operating across the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans. 

It is a global deployment that has seen Royal Navy, Royal Fleet Auxiliary and RAF units working with allies from 10 nations.

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The deployment also included UK and US F-35B Lightning jets flying together from the carrier's deck and joint drills with partner navies.

Support ships HMS Richmond and RFA Tidespring have been accompanying the carrier, providing escort and logistics support.

Refuelling the fleet

Among the unsung workhorses of the mission is RFA Tidespring, which has completed the majority of the deployment and supported the strike group from start to finish.

The tanker has supplied fuel and stores to British warships and those of allies, including the United States, Japan, Australia, and India, keeping the task group at sea without needing frequent port calls.

Since leaving the UK in April, Tidespring has carried out 79 replenishments at sea, an average of three each week, delivering 30,120 cubic metres of diesel and 4,200 cubic metres of aviation fuel.

That's enough to fill 12 Olympic-sized swimming pools or the tanks of half a million cars.

The Royal Fleet Auxiliary, celebrating its 120th anniversary this year, has been superbly represented by Tidespring, which has already travelled 36,358 nautical miles, more than one-and-a-half times around the globe, with another 13,000 still to go before the ships return home by Christmas.

Final leg home

Along the way, Tidespring and the task group have visited Cape Town, Duqm, Singapore, Darwin, Busan, Goa and Mombasa.

With the Suez Canal behind them, the Carrier Strike Group will now transit the Mediterranean before returning to UK waters by Christmas.

The Royal Navy says Operation Highmast has shown Britain's ability to project power globally, sustain complex maritime operations, and work seamlessly with international partners across multiple oceans.

For more reports about Carrier Strike Group 25, click here.