UK’s aircraft carriers ‘on standby’ for urgent deployment after Red Sea strikes

It comes after strikes by Britain and the US on Thursday night against Houthi rebels in response to their attacks on cargo ships in the Red Sea.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak warned the UK would “continue to take action” should the Iran-backed rebels not deescalate.

Multiple reports in recent days have claimed that the 70,000 ton carriers HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales are unable to be sent to participate in operations against the Houthi rebels because of the unavailability of one of the Navy's support ships.

On Thursday night, the U.S. and UK struck multiple Houthi targets in Yemen, after months in which the Iran backed rebels had targeted commercial shipping in the Red Sea with attack drones and missiles.

The UK element of the strikes involved 4 RAF Typhoons flying a round-trip of more than 3,000 miles from Cyprus to drop their laser guided bombs.
Naval sources said it would have made "much more sense to deploy one of the UK's aircraft carriers to the Red Sea" rather than sending Typhoons such a long distance.

However, it has been reported that the Navy does have the option of sending a carrier because a logistics ship, RFA Fort Victoria is laid up due to a shortage of personnel in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.

The Defence Minister told Camilla Tominey there was "no truth whatsoever" in those reports.

He told GB News: “Just to be absolutely clear, there is no truth whatsoever in the suggestion that we cannot deploy the carrier.

“I’m pleased to confirm both our carriers are in Portsmouth, they are at readiness and they are available to be deployed if needed, if the operational decision is that that is the appropriate response.

“Just to highlight, because I appreciate there has been some coverage at this point, Queen Elizabeth, one of the carriers, returned only eight weeks ago from a 13,000 nautical mile mission to the North Sea and the Baltic Sea, so it's not true that we can’t deploy them.

“I think what it is focused on is the fact that one of the support ships is about to go into an upgrade.

“That's very common. It's in Liverpool, maintenance of the ship, but we have other support ships available.”

He continued: “We have to get the correct characterisation of the military effort undertaken so far, which was a very specific, targeted strike, proportionate, justified under international law.

“Of course, we don't rule out further action if it was justified…

“The Houthis were attacking international shipping from many countries, they've been doing so since November, wholly unjustified, indiscriminate attacks which put lives at risk for that alone, economic consequences.

“And of course, ultimately, they attacked a British naval vessel, HMS Diamond, that put us in the position where the Prime Minister concluded that he had no choice but to act in the manner that he did.”

He added: “Many countries’ ships were affected. But we had support from Bahrain, from Canada, Australia, Netherlands, Germany, and I think that there is a wide consensus that we cannot allow this to go on.”

It comes amid claims a recruitment crisis is hampering Britain’s ability to send HMS Queen Elizabeth to the region.

The UK’s £3 billion aircraft carrier is made up of a ring of advanced warships, submarines, helicopters and fifth generation fighter jets.

The Telegraph claimed the RFA Fort Victoria, a vital supply vessel for the HMS Queen Elizabeth, is unable to sail due to a lack of sailors.

It is said to be working with a skeleton crew when it would normally operate with a crew of 100.

A Royal Navy spokesman told The Telegraph: “Within the last three months both of the Royal Navy’s aircraft carriers have been at sea on operations, ably supported by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. The RFA continues to fulfil all its commitments.”