Aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales is leading a massive fleet of allied warships in a demonstration of unified naval might.

The Royal Navy say that HMS Prince of Wales is responsible for leading NATO’s Maritime High Readiness Force – an international task group formed to deal with major global events – and deploys for the first time in that role to Cold Response.

Aboard the carrier are the most senior sea-going staff in the Royal Navy – Commander UK Strike Force, headed by Rear Admiral Mike Utley, who will lead the sizeable task force as part of a galvanized NATO effort for peace and stability in Europe.

HMS Defender, HMS Northumberland, HMS Albion and HMS Grimsby also lined up alongside Prince of Wales with ships from France, Norway, the Netherlands, Denmark, Italy, USA, Latvia, Belgium and Germany at the start of Exercise Cold Response.

The Royal Navy say here:

“A task force of 25 ships from 11 nations gathered off the Norwegian coast at the start of the training, which will show how a unified force would defend Norway and Europe’s northern flank from a modern adversary.”

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