Overview
- The deployment will be led by HMS Prince of Wales and will include Royal Navy warships, RAF F‑35 jets, helicopters, and thousands of personnel operating later this year.
- Parts of the mission will integrate under NATO command through the Arctic Sentry framework, with exercises alongside Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 led by the UK and HMS Dragon as command ship throughout 2026.
- The UK says the operation responds to rising Russian naval activity near its waters, citing a 30% increase over two years and growing concern in the GIUK gap.
- The carrier group will work closely with the United States and Canada, with activity off the North American East Coast, a planned US port visit, and US jets expected to operate from HMS Prince of Wales.
- The mission builds on the UK carrier group’s 2025 Indo‑Pacific deployment that delivered over 1,000 F‑35 sorties and led to a NATO ‘mission ready’ certification, with detailed schedules and force compositions to follow.