Aircraft carriers USS George Washington (CVN-73) and HMS Prince of Wales met Friday in the Timor Sea for operations as part of Talisman Sabre 2025, US Naval Institute News reports.
“This powerful demonstration of naval power brings together advanced capabilities and carrier aviation, including HMS Prince of Wales’ air group of F-35B Lightning jets,” the Royal Navy said.
Friday’s operations mark the first time aircraft carriers from the U.S. and the U.K. have operated together as part of Talisman Sabre since the exercise began in 2005. Held every other year off the coast of Australia, the eleventh iteration of the multinational exercise began July 13 and will conclude July 27. The U.S. and the U.K. are among 19 countries and 35,000 troops participating in the exercise.
The dual carrier operations are also the George Washington CSG’s first major bilateral drill since returning to Japan. Meanwhile, the UKCSG’s participation in Talisman Sabre is part of its Operation Highmast deployment to the Mediterranean and Indo-Pacific.
The George Washington CSG consists of aircraft carrier George Washington with embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW-5), cruiser USS Robert Smalls (CG-62), and destroyer USS Shoup (DDG-86). The UKCSG includes aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales (R09), destroyer HMS Dauntless (D33), Royal Australian Navy (RAN) destroyer HMAS Sydney (DDG-42), Royal Norwegian Navy frigate HNoMS Roald Amundsen (F311), Royal Canadian (RCN) frigate HMCS Ville de Québec (FFH 332) and fleet oiler RFA Tidespring (A136). Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) frigate HMNZS Te Kaha (F77), which was part of the UKCGS, has detached from the group but will remain off the coast of Australia to participate in Talisman Sabre as part of the New Zealand contingent for the drills.
Both CSGs are operating F-35 Lightning II fighters. George Washington’s embarked Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 147 “Argonauts” of CVW-5 operates F-35Cs. This is the first time the F-35C variant is participating in Talisman Sabre.
Prince of Wales is embarked with 17 F-35Bs from an original complement of 18 with one aircraft grounded in India at Thiruvananthapuram airport following a diversionary landing on June 14 due to bad weather.
The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) land-based F-35As and U.S. Marine Corps F-35Bs of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 242 “Bats” embarked on amphibious assault ship USS America(LHA-6) are also taking part in Talisman Sabre drills. Two VMFA-242 F-35Bs conducted landings, refueling and take-offs on July 8 on Prince of Wales in the run-up to the multilateral exercise.
The Royal Norwegian Air Force originally planned to send seven F-35As to Australia for Talisman Sabre but called it off due to a lack of available partner nation tankers to support the aircraft’s flight to Australia.
George Washington CGS is participating in the massive exercise following scheduled maintenance and reintegration into the forward deployed naval forces.
The UKCSG is expected to sail to Japan after Talisman Sabre, conducting drills with U.S. and Japanese forces along the way.
