Personnel involved in Carrier Strike Group 21 have been adjusting to life on the deployment.
The group of Royal Navy surface ships, aircraft, a submarine, Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels and US and Dutch allies, is being led by HMS Queen Elizabeth on her maiden deployment, Carrier Strike Group 21 (CSG 21).
Crews have been getting used to work and downtime, involved in training drills, capability demonstrations, and playing sport both on board and onshore.
This includes a rugby union match for the HMS Queen Elizabeth team, during a stop in Sicily, and a sports day on deck, including a game of cricket.
A glimpse into life on CSG 21:
A judo lesson on HMS Queen Elizabeth's flight deck (Picture: MOD).HMS Defender's ship's company enjoys a game of bucket ball before going alongside Souda Bay in Greece (Picture: MOD).A lineout is taken during a rugby union match between HMS Queen Elizabeth's crew and San Gregorio in Augusta, Sicily (Picture: MOD).HMS Queen Elizabeth's ship's band plays during a capability demonstration (Picture: MOD).The crew of HMS Queen Elizabeth play rugby against San Gregorio while alongside in Augusta, Sicily (Picture: MOD).Personnel take on a rowing challenge on HMS Queen Elizabeth (Picture: MOD).HMS Defender's crew participates in a Small Arms Firing At Sea in the Bay of Biscay as part of training for the Carrier Strike Group deployment (Picture: MOD).Volleyball training on the deck of HMS Queen Elizabeth (Picture: MOD).Divers on HMS Queen Elizabeth explain equipment to guests during a capability demonstration (Picture: MOD).Hockey is played on HMS Queen Elizabeth (Picture: MOD).HMS Queen Elizabeth (background) with an Astute Class submarine and Merlin helicopter on Carrier Strike Group 21 deployment (Picture: MOD).HMS Defender crashes through the Bay of Biscay waves on her way to the Mediterranean (Picture: MOD).An Astute Class submarine (foreground) and HMS Queen Elizabeth (background) during the Carrier Strike Group 21 deployment (Picture: MOD).
The aircraft carrier left Portsmouth for the deployment in May, before participating in Exercise Steadfast Defender – NATO's largest exercise of the year.
During the exercise, she received a visit from NATO's secretary general.
