British aircraft carrier may need French escort if deployed to Middle East

Yet, a shortage of operational British surface vessels means support may have to come from allied nations, including France, the United States and other European nations.

A typical carrier strike formation normally includes several escort ships, usually destroyers or frigates, as well as a submarine tasked with underwater defence.

Britain’s navy operates six destroyers, but only HMS Dragon is currently believed to be fully mission-ready.

The ship is expected to head for the eastern Mediterranean shortly to help safeguard Britain’s sovereign base areas at RAF Akrotiri and Dhekelia on the island of Cyprus.

Among the fleet’s seven frigates, only HMS Somerset and HMS St Albans are thought to be available, the Telegraph reports.

The remaining ships are undergoing servicing or dealing with mechanical issues that have prevented them from sailing.

Facing similar limitations, the navy’s submarine arm only has one known to be active, HMS Anson, currently stationed near Australia.

James Cartlidge, the Shadow Defence Secretary, criticised the Government’s planning and questioned why naval resources had not been repositioned sooner as tensions have intensified over the Middle East.

He said: “Labour’s talk of putting a carrier on greater readiness is a distraction from the real question: why didn’t Starmer plan properly and move naval assets weeks ago, when a major US operation was clearly coming?

“The truth is Labour have prioritised welfare over defence, leaving an under-funded Ministry of Defence forced to make £2.6bn in cuts this year.

He continued by suggesting that even if a carrier sailed, doubts would remain about the availability of adequate escort vessels.

At the same time, the Royal Navy must continue meeting wider responsibilities tied to Nato operations and deterrence against threats from Russia.

Earlier this year, the Prime Minister announced plans to dispatch the vessel to northern waters as part of Operation Firecrest.

That mission focused on strengthening security across the North Atlantic and Arctic following comments made by President Trump about Greenland.

Ben Obese-Jecty, the Conservative MP for Huntingdon, questioned how Britain could maintain that operation while simultaneously sending forces toward the Middle East.

The country’s second aircraft carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth, is currently in dry dock at Rosyth Dockyard in Scotland for maintenance work.

Should the deployment proceed, HMS Prince of Wales would most likely operate in the eastern Mediterranean after a drone attack struck RAF Akrotiri earlier this month.

The unmanned aircraft was believed to have been launched by Hezbollah, an armed group supported by Iran.

While HMS Dragon could help provide defence once it reaches the area, additional backing would probably be required from allied navies.

France has already dispatched its nuclear-powered carrier Charles de Gaulle together with accompanying ships into the Mediterranean.

Its Rafale combat aircraft and Hawkeye surveillance planes could help form a protective air umbrella for the British vessel if both operate nearby.

Other European states have also sent forces toward Cyprus, including frigates from Spain, Germany and Italy, along with fighter aircraft deployed by Greece and Turkey.

Meanwhile, the American carrier USS Gerald R Ford, which had been operating in the eastern Mediterranean, has since travelled through the Suez Canal and entered the Red Sea.

Tom Sharpe, a former Royal Navy officer, said sending the British vessel into the area after the USS Gerald R Ford’s departure would make him uneasy, though he still believed the move could ultimately be justified.

According to the Telegraph, the Ministry of Defence declined to comment on escorts needed to protect HMS Prince of Wales.

A spokesman added: “HMS Prince of Wales has always been on very high readiness and we are increasing the preparedness of the carrier, reducing the time it would take to set sail for any deployment.”