When Allies Have Carriers, Everyone Wins

It would be great if France would build another carrier or two. Italy, Spain, and in a perfect world even Germany ... it would be good for them all to either add one or start one ... but the budgets aren't there.

If they did, we could see more of this in the future ... and the world would be a safer place.

HMS Queen Elizabeth is still on track to deploy to the Far East in 2021 – although whether it will actually sail through the South China Sea is yet to be explicitly confirmed – with escorting warships from the US and the Netherlands, according to reports.

The UK Defence Journal recently reported that Big Lizzie will rehearse for live deployments by practising with "two Type 45 destroyers, two Type 23 frigates, a nuclear submarine, a Tide-class tanker and RFA Fort Victoria".

On her maiden operational deployment, the carrier will take around 24 F-35B fighter jets plus helicopters.
...
The Dutch Navy will definitely join the deployment, most likely with a De Zeven Provinciën-class frigate – replacing one of the British Type 23 frigates in the mooted carrier battle group. Similarly, UKDJ reckons that an American destroyer will join the 2021 deployment (named Carrier Strike Group 21), freeing up a British Type 45 destroyer.

Good stuff.