The United Kingdom is poised to launch Operation Highmast, a high-profile deployment that underscores the Royal Air Force’s (RAF) commitment to technological innovation and international defence collaboration. At the heart of this operation is the HMS Prince of Wales, leading the UK Carrier Strike Group (UK CSG), in a mission that promises to be the most ambitious since HMS Queen Elizabeth’s global voyage in 2021.
From the deck of HMS Prince of Wales, the RAF will project its full spectrum capabilities, with a particular emphasis on the F-35B Lightning, a fifth-generation, multi-role fighter aircraft known for its adaptability across air, land, and sea domains. For allied nations like Canada, Operation Highmast stands as a powerful reminder of the strategic value of interoperability and the continuous evolution of joint military readiness.
HMS Prince of Wales – Operation Highmast. Source: Royal Air Force
A Showcase of Next-Gen Air Power
Central to the mission is the deployment of the F-35B Lightning II, a short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) variant that gives the UK an edge in flexible force projection. The F-35B’s stealth profile, sensor fusion, and data-sharing capabilities allow it to perform a variety of missions—from electronic warfare and air interdiction to intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR).
This aircraft has garnered significant interest in Canada, especially as the Royal Canadian Air Force prepares to integrate its own fleet of F-35As starting later this decade. Operation Highmast offers a real-time window into how fifth-generation fighters operate within a carrier strike group framework, and how allied forces can collectively leverage such platforms for complex multinational missions.
Strengthening Indo-Pacific Security
A focal point of Operation Highmast will be the UK CSG’s participation in Exercise Talisman Sabre, a major biennial military exercise hosted by Australia. With 19 nations involved, the exercise offers a rare opportunity to test multinational command and control, logistics, and combat scenarios across land, sea, and air environments.
As global security dynamics continue to shift towards the Indo-Pacific, this deployment reinforces the UK’s—and its allies’—commitment to regional stability. Canada’s recent defence posture review and increasing engagement in Indo-Pacific dialogues resonate with this mission’s objectives, highlighting the importance of free and open maritime domains, alliance-based deterrence, and joint military readiness.
Innovation at Sea
Beyond the tactical showcase of air power, Operation Highmast symbolizes the UK’s strategic ambition to lead in defence innovation. The Carrier Strike Group, equipped with world-class vessels and systems, is a testament to the shift towards integrated, networked force structures. As HMS Prince of Wales sails through the Mediterranean, Middle East, Indian Ocean, and Pacific, it will conduct joint exercises with key allies, advancing collective learning and combat readiness.
Implications for Canada
While Canada is not formally participating in Operation Highmast, the deployment serves as a model for future allied cooperation, particularly in the carrier-enabled projection of force. As the Royal Canadian Navy continues to modernize, including the future Canadian Surface Combatants, there are clear parallels in operational design thinking—emphasizing modular capability, allied interoperability, and integrated sensor networks.
Operation Highmast is more than a demonstration of military might—it is a bold reaffirmation of allied unity in an increasingly contested world. For Canada, it offers a timely opportunity to observe, learn, and plan as part of the broader Five Eyes and NATO defence community.
Canada Defence Journal 