The United Kingdom’s flagship aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales sailed alongside two Royal Navy escorts and three Republic of Korea Navy ships in the Indo‑Pacific this week as part of Operation Highmast, a months‑long deployment intended to reaffirm the UK’s commitment to regional security.
The formation included destroyer HMS Dauntless and frigate HMS Richmond operating with ROKS Soyang, ROKS Kang Gam Chan and ROKS Nampo. The movement marks the task group’s shift in focus to Asia after transits through the Mediterranean, Middle East and Indian Ocean and port visits to Singapore and Australia.
The Royal Navy said Operation Highmast, which began in April, is designed to demonstrate a sustained British maritime presence in the Mediterranean and Indo‑Pacific. The eight‑month deployment will involve more than 4,500 UK personnel, including nearly 600 Royal Air Force members, about 900 soldiers and roughly 2,500 Royal Navy sailors and Royal Marines. The carrier strike group is expected to return to the United Kingdom in December.
The deployment came days after the Royal Navy completed its first ship‑to‑ship delivery of supplies using an unmanned aerial vehicle. A Malloy T‑150 octo‑copter, built by Maidenhead‑based Malloy Aeronautics, flew autonomously for about a mile from HMS Prince of Wales to HMS Dauntless, delivering spare parts in what the service described as an historic first for Britain’s Senior Service.
British military officials said the introduction of unmanned resupply drones could reduce reliance on helicopters for routine logistics, lowering costs and increasing flexibility. The rollout of such systems is part of broader efforts by the Royal Navy to expand the use of unmanned platforms at sea.
Operation Highmast has encompassed a range of activities, including joint exercises and port visits intended to strengthen interoperability with partners and to reassure allies of the UK’s enduring forward presence. The recent manoeuvre with South Korean warships follows other cooperative engagements in the region and reflects growing defence ties between the United Kingdom and Indo‑Pacific partners.
Analysts and officials have noted that high‑profile deployments by Western navies to the Indo‑Pacific have become more frequent amid concerns about regional security dynamics. The Royal Navy framed the deployment as a contribution to collective security and maritime stability rather than a response to any single actor.
The ship group’s itinerary since April has included operations across multiple maritime theatres and interactions with regional navies. With the Prince of Wales at its centre, the carrier strike group has conducted air operations, maritime security activities and exercises intended to maintain readiness and demonstrate the UK’s ability to operate at long range.
The deployment will conclude with the task group’s planned return home in December, after which the Ministry of Defence has said it will assess lessons learned from the operation, including the operational use of unmanned systems at sea.