CSG21: Japanese, US and UK carriers join forces for exercise

UK, US and Japanese aircraft carriers have sailed together during a joint exercise.

HMS Queen Elizabeth was joined by USS Carl Vinson, USS Ronald Reagan and Japanese carrier JS Ise in waters southwest of Okinawa, Japan, as well as by ships from New Zealand, Canada and the Netherlands.

It comes as the Royal Navy's flagship leads the Carrier Strike Group 21 (CSG21) deployment in the Indo-Pacific region.

• CSG21: New Zealand Navy Exercises With Strike Group
• China Accuses UK Of 'Evil Intentions' As Navy Sails Through Taiwan Strait
• CSG21: New Zealand Defence Force To Exercise With Carrier Strike Group

In a post on Twitter, the Strike Group's Commander said the "main body" of the CSG21 deployment had sailed into the disputed South China Sea.

Commodore Steve Moorhouse, the Commander of the UK Carrier Strike Group, also posted on Twitter that Type 45 destroyer HMS Diamond had met up with Royal Australian Navy ships ahead of Exercise Bersama Gold – the 50th anniversary of Exercise Bersama Lima.

Reportedly taking place between 8 and 16 October, the exercise is held by countries in the Five Power Defence Arrangements –  Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and the UK.

For the exercise, HMS Queen Elizabeth will be joined by Australian aircraft Carrier HMAS Canberra.

It is also reported the air exercise part of Bersama Gold will take place within the Kuala Lumpur and Singapore FIR (flight information region).