Operation HIGHMAST: A Strategic and Operational Reflection

By Cdre James Blackmore RN

Message from the Editor

With Operation HIGHMAST complete, the author, Commander UK Carrier Strike Group (COMUKCSG), provides a retrospective on the deployment, demonstrating the range of defence engagement, diplomacy and deterrence embodying the flagship mission. A 10 minute read.

Operation HIGHMAST, the 2025 deployment of the United Kingdom Carrier Strike Group (CSG) to the Indo-Pacific, stands out as one of the most significant demonstrations of modern British maritime power since the regeneration of Carrier Strike. Lasting 222 days and spanning more than 40,000 nautical miles, the deployment linked the Euro-Atlantic, the Middle East, and Indo-Pacific theatres in a manner that reflected both enduring naval principles and the evolving character of contemporary operations. It combined high-end warfighting, multinational integration, defence diplomacy and engagement, and…

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