UK to send biggest warship to Pacific in 'show of force'

The United Kingdom and Australia are discussing plans for Britain's biggest ever warship to be deployed to the Pacific alongside Australians navy.

The Australian Defense Minister Marise Payne, and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop met on Friday with British Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson as well as Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt in Edinburg, Scotland.

The four discussed the deployment of UK aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth – the largest ship ever built for the Royal Navy – to the Pacific amid growing Chinese activity in the region.

The plan would not be operational sooner than 2020.

Williamson said at a joint press conference that they are “hoping and going to work together [with Australians] on deploying HMS Queen Elizabeth to the Pacific and hopefully sailing side by side with Australian vessels.”

“We want to make sure that everyone around the world understands that these two great nations are the greatest of allies,” he added.

Williamson said the HMS Queen Elizabeth deployment may include a “freedom of navigation” exercise in the South China Sea. Beijing claims sovereignty over the South China Sea and considers foreign military presence there as “provocation.”

Williamson said there was an increasing “submarine threat” in the North Atlantic and the Pacific oceans.

Britain’s new foreign secretary Hunt also said that the UK was increasing its diplomatic presence in the Pacific, opening new embassies in Pacific nations.

He further said that the close relationship with Australia was “not just based on [the] ‘you scratch my back I’ll scratch yours’ kind of transactional relationships that are so common in international diplomacy.”

Referring to what he described as challenges in international “norms and conventions” in the Pacific region, the Australian foreign minister said, “At such a critical juncture in world affairs, we feel it is vital for like-minded nations to join together to promote peace and stability.”

“We couldn’t be more delighted that the UK will be taking an increasing role in the Indo-Pacific,” Bishop added.

Britain’s national security adviser Mark Sedwill had said earlier this year that the Queen Elizabeth fleet would need support from “friendly forces” on high-end combat missions.

The British warship is expected to travel with a “carrier strike group” involving several frigates for anti-submarine warfare, destroyers for air defense and potentially a hunter killer submarine to Australian waters.

This year, the UK had deployed three navy warships to the Pacific for the first time since 2013.

Its Royal Navy carrier, HMS Sutherland conducted war games along with the Australian navy in March and also sailed through the South China Sea.

The two counties have recently signed an agreement to purchase UK ‘Type 26’ frigates, to be built in Australia as ‘Hunter’ combat ships, according to the Australian Defense Minister, Payne.

The South China Sea is also claimed in part by the Philippines, Brunei, Vietnam, Malaysia and Taiwan.

The British warship is expected to travel with a “carrier strike group” involving several frigates for anti-submarine warfare, destroyers for air defense and potentially a hunter killer submarine to Australian waters.

This year, the UK had deployed three navy warships to the Pacific for the first time since 2013.

Its Royal Navy carrier, HMS Sutherland conducted war games along with the Australian navy in March and also sailed through the South China Sea.

The two counties have recently signed an agreement to purchase UK ‘Type 26’ frigates, to be built in Australia as ‘Hunter’ combat ships, according to the Australian Defense Minister, Payne.

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