51
History continuing to be made here on #WESTLANT19 - the first ever take off by a UK Lightning from our British carrier. @RAF_Marham even brought the weather with them! We ❤️the 🇬🇧 on the 'scoop' @RoyalNavy @RoyalAirForce @17SqnRAF #FlyNavy #bigdecksfastjets #QNLZatSea #UKF35
52
A @NATO force to be reckoned with is now assembled in the North Sea.
This is #CarrierStrike, this is #5thGen power projection - headed by the 🇬🇧 #StrikeCarrier and the 🇬🇧 Carrier Strike Group.
Let the games begin...
#WeAreHere #WeAreNATO #JW202
🇬🇧 ⚓ 🇺🇸 ⚓ 🇳🇱 ⚡ 🇬🇧 ⚓ 🇺🇸 ⚓ 🇳🇱
53
Against a backdrop of calm skies...
They're back.
Forecast of thunder and #lightning
⚡
#F35
54
Hello! 🇰🇷 🇬🇧 👋🌏
안녕하세요, 한국!
@UKinKorea @SimonSmithFCDO @ROK_Navy
56
Today we stand with our @USNavy and @USMC friends and allies. 🇺🇸🇬🇧 #NeverForget911 #WeAreNATO @USAmbUK
57
It's a very special thing for Service personnel to mark the Armistice, and honour the fallen, whilst on deployment. LPhot Dan Shepherd captured today's ceremony on video, to give you the opportunity to share it with us. #WeWillRememberThem #WESTLANT19 #QNLZatSea @PoppyLegion
58
These are 🇬🇧 #F35 fighter jets, flown by Operational Pilots & maintained by an Operational Crew.
Fused with UK Carrier Strike Battlestaff on a 🇬🇧 Aircraft Carrier operated by a trained crew.
This is final training on how we will fight; and win.
This is #CarrierSeaTraining⚡🇬🇧
59
Disk Brakes Engaged!
Yesterday one of our #F35 performed the Worlds first Shipborne Rolling Vertical Landing.
With this capability @thef35 can land with increased fuel and munitions load resulting in less wastage.
Looks pretty cool too!
#CapabilityIncreased #F35ondeck @USMC
60
After leaving Japan we joined Ex Pacific Crown.
Ships from #CSG21 @JMSDF_PAO & @RoyalCanNavy have been working together, proving interoperabilty. 🇬🇧 🇺🇸 🇳🇱 🇯🇵 🇨🇦
We finished lining up for a ceremonial cheer ship with @HMCSWinnipeg as we waved bye to JS Ise and JS Izumo. 👋
61
Our last night together as we are scheduled to head out tomorrow for #Groupex and @NATO #JW202.
@HMSPWLS will soon head out also to conduct Her first part of @FOST sea training.
British Sea Power reborn⚓ #GlobalBritain 🇬🇧 #CarrierAlley
📸 @MaritimePhotos
62
In news that may not break the headlines, a hero was brought back home today.
Our thoughts are with her family and those who served with her.
#LestWeForget twitter.com/ForcesNews/sta…
63
When we're busy up top ⚡
We're busy below 🔧
Engineers keep our primary weapon systems serviceable and ready to fly
#F35
#CarrierStrike
65
We will never get bored of seeing these on our decks. Look at those skies....I hear rumbling....could even more ⚡️ be forecast for #WESTLANT19 today? 🤔@RoyalNavy @RoyalAirForce @17SqnRAF @OC617Sqn #UKF35 #QNLZatSea #bigdecksfastjets
66
A huge day for all of us here at #WESTLANT19, and the nation, as we landed on UK F35 Lightnings for the very first time. Here is to the start of 50 years of this incredible joint capability for UK Defence @RoyalNavy @RoyalAirForce #UKF35 #bigdecksfastjets twitter.com/DefenceHQ/stat…
67
Great aerial picture of us, taken this afternoon. Photo credit: @GuyG_Boffin
68
The second day of our countdown sees a picture of us leaving #Gibraltar after our first overseas port visit.
A sure sign that there is 4.5 Sovereign acres poised to protect 🇬🇧 interests 🌏
#bigdeckfastjets #SovereignProtection #BritishSeaPower
69
We are now through the Luzon Strait and into the Philippine Sea 🇵🇭 🌏
Another iconic transit ticked off! #CSG21
🇬🇮 Strait of Gibraltar ✅
🇮🇹 Strait of Messina ✅
🇪🇬 Suez Canal ✅
🇩🇯🇾🇪🇪🇷 Bab al-Mandeb Strait ✅
🇸🇬 Malacca Strait ✅
🇵🇭 Luzon Strait ✅
70
Hello Guam! 🇬🇺
A rainy arrival into this beautiful tropical island in the western Pacific Ocean. Very excited to be here! 🌴🌏 #CSG21 #Guam
@nbguam @louleonguerrero @JoshuaTenorio2 @USNavy @UKdefUS
71
Our first 'no-fly' day; a chance to give our aircraft some deep maintenance, and also give our personnel 'a chance' at some vitamin D ☀️ (more like 🌧).
After relentless flying it is well deserved before we take them into the #JW202 battlesphere next week.
72
73
And count them back in 1️⃣2️⃣3️⃣4️⃣
Reconnaissance mission complete.
Friday nights are quite alright in the North Sea at the moment ⚡⚓🇬🇧
#F35Friday #CarrierStrike #F35 #FlyFriday #FridayFunDay
74
As the sun sets, we will rise at its dawn to lead the UK Carrier Strike Group into @NATO's biggest yearly exercise, #JW202.
9 Ships
27 Aircraft
3,000 Personnel
#WeAreNATO #WeAreReady
#WeStrikeFromTheSea ⚡⚓
75
Double the fun at this double RAS! No queuing for fuel here, @RFATidespring can top up @HMSDefender and us at the same time ⛽ #CSG21
@RFAHeadquarters @RoyalNavy
The @RoyalNavy's flagship and first Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier. ⚓️🇬🇧