British warship makes Singapore stop amid UK’s bid to reaffirm Asia presence
- The Queen Elizabeth led a British carrier strike group in exercises with Singapore’s military at the weekend
- Singapore is one of more than 40 countries the strike group will interact with through visits or exercises during its global deployment
The Queen Elizabeth led a British carrier strike group in exercises with Singapore’s military at the weekend, including naval manoeuvres and simulated combat training with F-35B stealth fighters and F-16 jets.
“Our recent integrated review highlighted the importance of the Indo-Pacific and the UK’s intent to tilt here and have an increased footprint, and much more persistent presence,” strike group commander, Commodore Steve Moorhouse, told Reuters aboard the new 65,000-tonne vessel.
“What better way to just show that off in the first instance, with Queen Elizabeth deploying here for her first operational deployment.”
Singapore is one of more than 40 countries the strike group will interact with through visits or exercises during its global deployment, according to a British government statement.
Britain, like China, now has two aircraft carriers, compared to the United States’ 11. The US$4 billion Queen Elizabeth is the largest warship built by the British military and is roughly the length of three soccer fields at 274 metres (900 feet).
Did Aukus just torpedo Europe’s ‘united front’ to contain China?
The Queen Elizabeth travelled to Japan last month to mark the start of the permanent military presence, which came as the US, Britain and Australia agreed a trilateral regional defence pact, Aukus.
China earlier this month made the largest ever incursion with its air force into the Taiwan’s air defence zone.
01:44
British warship Queen Elizabeth makes Singapore stop to reaffirm Asia presence