UK, Italian navies begin Med Strike exercises to boost NATO coordination

The British and Italian navies have launched joint Med Strike exercises in the Ionian Sea, aimed at boosting interoperability and coordination among NATO and partner forces, with a key focus on anti-submarine warfare.

The British carrier strike group is led by the Royal Navy’s flagship, the aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, while Italy’s naval forces are spearheaded by the carrier ITS Cavour, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media. 

The multinational exercises, which run through May 11, bring together an impressive array of military assets. A total of 21 warships, three submarines, 41 fighter jets—including the advanced F-35B stealth aircraft—19 helicopters, and 10 maritime patrol and anti-submarine aircraft will take part. More than 8,000 military personnel from the United Kingdom, Italy, the United States, France, Spain, Portugal, Norway, and Türkiye are participating.

HMS Prince of Wales set sail from Portsmouth on April 22 for an eight-month deployment to the Indo-Pacific under Operation Highmast. Throughout the mission, the British carrier strike group will engage in a series of multinational exercises across the Mediterranean, Middle East, Southeast Asia, and the Indo-Pacific, working alongside partners including Japan and Australia. 

The British strike group includes the destroyer HMS Dauntless, frigate HMS Richmond, an Astute-class attack submarine, and auxiliary ships RFA Tideforce and RFA Tidespring. They are joined by allied vessels including Norway’s HNoMS Roald Amundsen and support tanker HNoMS Maud, Canada’s HMCS Ville de Québec, and Spain’s ESPS Méndez Núñez.

By Naila Huseynova