UK Launches Firecrest Operation to Counter Russian Threats
The Royal Navy will deploy an aircraft carrier strike group to the North Atlantic and Arctic in a move aimed at countering Russian activity, the U.K. Ministry of Defence announced.
The operation, named Firecrest, is intended as a show of force to deter Russian aggression and protect critical undersea infrastructure. It will involve large-scale exercises with allies from the United States, Canada, and Northern European countries. HMS Prince of Wales will serve as the flagship of the strike group.
The group will operate alongside Standing NATO Maritime Group 1, with the British destroyer HMS Dragon acting as its flagship throughout 2026. Part of the operation will be conducted under NATO command, including coordination with Joint Force Command in Norfolk, led by a British officer for the first time.
The Ministry of Defence cited increased Russian military activity in the North Atlantic, noting that over the past two years the number of Russian warships posing a threat to British waters has risen by 30%.
The deployment also includes cooperation with the United States to ensure Euro-Atlantic security off the east coast of North America, with British ships expected to visit a U.S. port.
Firecrest will participate in NATO’s Arctic Sentry mission, which aims to strengthen security in the Arctic as melting sea ice opens new maritime routes and increases risks linked to hostile states. The operation comes amid heightened Russian activity near Greenland, Iceland, and the U.K., and rising threats to undersea cables and pipelines.
The deployment follows the completion of the U.K. carrier strike group’s 2025 Indo-Pacific mission, during which over 1,000 F-35 sorties were flown and joint operations were conducted with more than 30 countries. The group was subsequently declared fully operational and ready for NATO missions, including joint maneuvers with regional partners such as India to signal readiness to China.
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