Drones and Naval Operations

The Royal Navy’s newest aircraft carrier will be accompanied by more than 3000 servicemen and women, up to 24 RAF fighter jets, four British ships and four more from allies to sail as a carrier strike group halfway round the world.

But it is a considerably more dangerous world than four years ago when a British carrier group last sailed to the Indo-Pacific.

Retired Commodore Steve Prest tells us what threats the vessels could face in the Red Sea and the capabilities they have to protect themselves, and Professor Michael Clarke explains why the UK wants to show off its military might as far away as Australia when a land war is raging in Europe.

This first global operational deployment for HMS Prince of Wales will also be the first time a UK carrier has sailed with a full complement of British F35’s, and Claire Sadler explains another first – using drones to fly resupply missions between ships.