British Prime Minister Boris Johnson sits in the cockpit of an F-35 Lightning II fighter jet on May 21, 2021.
The Chinese Communist Party’s military expansion in much of the South China Sea is of concern to many countries. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Friday (21) that the first operational deployment of Britain’s flagship aircraft carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth, in Asia will show “our friends in China The first operational deployment of HMS Queen Elizabeth in Asia will demonstrate to “our friends in China” that Britain has a strong belief in the international law of the sea.
Speaking to reporters aboard the carrier at HMNB Portsmouth in southern England, Johnson said, “One of the things we’re going to do is show our friends in China that we believe in the international law of the sea and we’re going to demonstrate that in a way that is assertive rather than confrontational.”
“We don’t want to antagonize anybody, but we do believe that the United Kingdom, along with the Americans, the Dutch, the Australians and the Indians, among many other friends and partners, has a very important role to play in upholding the rule of law, in upholding the rules-based international system that we rely on,” Johnson continued.
Johnson said the deployment process will highlight British values as well as military capabilities.
The British carrier strike group will set sail this weekend for its first deployment to the Indo-Pacific region. In a final test before sailing, British F-35 Lightning II (F-35 Lightning II) stealth fighters fired missiles at sea. It was the first time in 15 years that a British aircraft had launched a missile at sea.
F-35s launched missiles from the flight deck of HMS Queen Elizabeth to intercept Mirach target drones during a multinational military exercise off the west coast of Scotland.
A new F-35B Lightning fighter jet prepares to take off from the deck of HMS Queen Elizabeth, Sept. 27, 2018.
U.K. Defense Secretary Ben Wallace says the U.K. carrier strike group is ready to contribute to the internationalization of the United Kingdom and counter future security threats of the 21st century.
Brigadier General Steve Moorhouse, commander of the British carrier battle group, said excitedly, “I have commanded HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales before. Prince of Wales) and it was so exciting when the two met for the first time at sea.”
An F-35B fighter jet flies over HMS Queen Elizabeth in Portsmouth, England, Sept. 26, 2018.
Mulhouse added that building one aircraft carrier is a sign of national revenge. But building two and operating them simultaneously is a sign of serious national intent. It means that Britain has a sustained carrier strike capability, with one carrier ready to respond to global events at short notice.
The British carrier strike group will reach Japan via the Mediterranean, Indian Ocean and South China Sea, and will interact with more than 40 countries in its deployment, including India, Japan, South Korea and Singapore. The exact details of the route are not yet known, but the route is expected to pass through the South China Sea in order to reinforce the freedoms set out in the navigation convention.
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