The frigate ‘Méndez Núñez’ begins a new phase of ‘Highmast’ deployment after crossing the Suez Canal

• During the Red Sea crossing, the Spanish ship provided air defence for the British aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales

The frigate ‘Méndez Núñez’ (F-104), part of the Battle Group of the British aircraft carrier HMS ‘Prince of Wales’ - known as Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 25 - is now beginning the navigation phase in the Indo-Pacific, as part of the deployment of operation ‘Highmast’. After crossing the Suez Canal and the Red Sea, a month of exercises and operations in the eastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea is coming to an end, to enter new seas and continue this international maritime operational activity.

On 19 May, with the entire naval group, the ‘Méndez Núñez’ left Souda to begin its transit of the easternmost Mediterranean and begin the Suez Canal crossing, which ended on 24 May. In the Red Sea, the CSG 25 undertook a week of training to raise the level of readiness and interoperability of the different naval units that make up this deployment, all before crossing Bab-el-Mandeb towards the Indian Ocean. Finally, after 17 days of continuous navigation, the frigate arrived on 4 June at the port of Salalah (Oman), where it is carrying out logistical and maintenance work.

During this period, the group has operated with F-35B fighters and helicopters from the ‘Prince of Wales’, as well as with other allied air assets. In this phase, the ‘Méndez Núñez’ took over the close air defence of the British aircraft carrier, because - as its commander, frigate captain Jaime Muñoz-Delgado, points out - ‘the capabilities of the frigate Méndez Núñez and all the frigates of the F100 class - especially in air and missile defence - are unique. That is why we have been entrusted with this mission, which is even more important when crossing the entire Red Sea’.

This escort to the ‘Prince of Wales’ was completed by the British destroyer ‘Dauntless’, the British frigate ‘Richmond’, the Canadian frigate ‘Ville de Quebec’, the Norwegian frigate ‘Roald Amundsen’ and the US destroyers ‘The Sullivans’ and ‘Truxtun’.

During this complicated navigation,’ concludes frigate captain Muñoz-Delgado, ’the Méndez Núñez has been able to demonstrate its capacity, reliability and constant availability. The Spanish ship has maintained a continuous presence at sea, without calling into port, which has demonstrated its high level of operability’.

The frigate ‘Mendez Nuñez’ in the British Battle Group

At the end of April, the Spanish frigate joined the British aircraft carrier battle group HMS ‘Prince of Wales’, known as Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 25. Since its departure from the Arsenal del Ferrol, it began a number of activities to achieve full interoperability in this international group. During the first sailing days, all vessels secured the necessary communications and command and control networks to work in a coordinated manner, which has allowed naval units from the UK, Norway, Canada and Spain to operate together.

During the first month of navigation, the frigate ‘Méndez Núñez’ has sailed the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea integrated in ‘Highmast’ with the rest of the allied ships, until reaching the Indo-Pacific area of operations, where they will sail for the next three months. From then on, and as planned, it will begin its return to Spain.

All in all, participation in this Battle Group has been a logistical and operational challenge for the frigate `Méndez Núñez¨ and its crew, but -above all- it is an opportunity to demonstrate Spain's technological capacity and independence, the capacity of our Armed Forces to project themselves into different geographical areas, as well as reaffirming our commitment to maritime security and global stability.