In a powerful display of European naval capability and unity, the Royal Navy’s HMS Prince of Wales and the Italian Navy’s ITS Cavour joined forces this week in the Mediterranean Sea for a major joint exercise. At a time when geopolitical fault lines are deepening across the globe, and questions swirl around Europe’s capacity to defend itself independently, this exercise sends a bold message: Europe is not only watching, it’s preparing.
For decades, NATO has relied heavily on the military might of the United States. But recent years have seen a growing chorus of voices across Europe suggesting the continent must be ready to shoulder a greater share of its own defense burden—especially if U.S. political winds shift away from international commitments.
While U.S. involvement in NATO remains crucial, this latest Anglo-Italian show of strength illustrates that Europe is far from defenceless. The combined carrier strike group, featuring over 21 warships, 3 submarines, 41 fighter jets, and 8,000 sailors and marines, represents one of the most capable naval formations assembled by European nations in recent history.
“We are stronger together,” said Captain Colin McGannity, who leads the UK Carrier Strike Group’s Air Wing. “Working alongside our allies is critical. These exercises make our cooperation seamless—and our deterrence real.”
At the center of this multinational force are the ITS Cavour and the HMS Prince of Wales, the respective flagships of the Italian and British navies. Though different in design, they are united in mission and capability. Both carriers operate the F-35B Lightning II stealth fighters, the vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) variant of the world’s most advanced fighter jet. The F-35Bs allow these carriers to project power even without catapult systems used by larger American carriers.
The Italian Navy’s ITS Cavour is its sole aircraft carrier and a vital tool of Italy’s maritime strategy. The British Royal Navy’s HMS Prince of Wales is one of two Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers and shares flagship status with its sister ship, HMS Queen Elizabeth. The Prince of Wales, however, is currently the active flagship during its ongoing global deployment.
Together, these two carriers not only form a powerful fighting force but serve as command and control hubs, coordinating the efforts of destroyers, frigates, submarines, helicopters, and fighter jets.
This week’s exercise in the Mediterranean focused on sharpening the navies’ interoperability across a range of high-threat scenarios: anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface operations, air defense, and counter-drone tactics. As both carriers deploy F-35Bs and operate helicopters for search, rescue, and surveillance, the goal was to synchronize tactics, share sensor data, and integrate command structures.
Also involved were supporting warships from both navies, such as British Type 45 destroyers and Italian FREMM multipurpose frigates. Submarines from both countries joined in to simulate underwater threats, testing the readiness of surface ships to detect and respond under realistic conditions.
This was not a symbolic show of flag-waving but a tactical sharpening of capabilities that NATO planners consider essential in a new era of maritime threats—especially in the increasingly contested Mediterranean Sea.
The HMS Prince of Wales is not stopping here. Its deployment, which began earlier this year, is set to stretch across multiple oceans and geopolitical hotspots, serving both as a training mission and a diplomatic statement.
From the Red Sea—where Houthi rebels in Yemen are targeting commercial vessels—to the Indian Ocean, where India and Pakistan remain locked in a nuclear-tinged rivalry, and on to the Pacific Ocean, where Chinese aggression over Taiwan and the South China Sea is escalating, the carrier’s itinerary reads like a checklist of the world’s most volatile maritime flashpoints.
This global route underlines Britain’s strategic priorities: securing global sea lanes, asserting freedom of navigation, and reinforcing alliances with regional partners across the Indo-Pacific. It’s also about defending trade routes essential to the British economy and deterring would-be adversaries from testing NATO’s resolve.
“The goal is to reaffirm the UK’s commitment to the security of the Mediterranean and Indo-Pacific regions, demonstrate collective resolve with our allies, and showcase British trade and industry,” the Royal Navy said in a statement.
The deployment of the Prince of Wales comes at a time of major internal change within the Royal Navy. Just this week, General Sir Gwyn Jenkins KCB OBE RM was appointed as the new First Sea Lord—the Navy’s top officer—following the sudden dismissal of Admiral Sir Ben Key. Key was removed over allegations of misconduct, marking the first time in nearly 500 years that a First Sea Lord has been dismissed under such circumstances.
While the Ministry of Defence has remained tight-lipped about the nature of the misconduct, the appointment of Jenkins—a Royal Marine with a strong reputation for operational leadership—signals a desire to restore focus and accountability at the top levels of Britain’s naval command.
Analysts suggest that the Royal Navy’s senior leadership must now balance its ongoing modernization efforts with internal reforms to maintain credibility both at home and among allies.
The Anglo-Italian naval exercise is more than just a joint drill; it’s a statement of European intent. As transatlantic relations continue to evolve and the global security landscape grows more complex, Europe is slowly, deliberately stepping into a larger role.
While it is unrealistic to imagine Europe replacing the United States in the near term, exercises like this show what is possible when Europe’s major military powers align their strategies and pool their capabilities.
For Italy, this operation is a reaffirmation of its naval doctrine, which has traditionally focused on the Mediterranean. For Britain, it’s a chance to reassert its global influence post-Brexit and reintroduce its “Global Britain” narrative on a hard-power foundation.
Beyond the military implications, these joint deployments also provide crucial opportunities for political signaling. At a time when NATO is frequently tested—not just by external threats like Russia or China, but by internal divisions over budgets and strategy—successfully coordinated missions show the alliance is capable of more than just mutual defense treaties. It can act.
In the months to come, the HMS Prince of Wales will continue its tour, visiting ports in the Gulf, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific. It will train with the navies of Japan, Australia, India, and others in a series of high-profile bilateral and multilateral exercises designed to deepen military cooperation and build trust.
Meanwhile, the Royal Navy continues to invest in its carrier strike capabilities, with plans to integrate more advanced drones, cyber tools, and electronic warfare systems. The F-35B fleet is also expected to expand, with greater integration of joint UK-US operations in future deployments.
In Italy, naval modernization is moving forward with plans to update the Cavour’s air wing and introduce new surface vessels designed for power projection and anti-submarine warfare.
The sight of two European aircraft carriers operating side by side in the Mediterranean is rare—but it may become more common in the future. As Europe faces the reality of a more dangerous world and the unpredictability of transatlantic politics, it must be able to defend its interests on its own terms.
The Prince of Wales and the ITS Cavour don’t just represent steel and firepower—they represent strategic ambition, renewed cooperation, and a growing recognition that Europe’s defense must ultimately be led by Europeans themselves.
