UK Carrier Group Conducts Live Strike With Norway
British F-35 jets and a Wildcat helicopter struck targets alongside Norwegian forces during NATO's Exercise Neptune Strike.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Military
The UK Carrier Strike Group conducted a live land strike with the Norwegian Army during NATO Exercise Neptune Strike, with F-35s from HMS Prince of Wales operating alongside Norwegian forces. A Wildcat helicopter from HMS Dauntless also carried out a maritime strike with Norwegian forces.
Why it matters
The July iteration of Neptune Strike was the first to extend into the High North and North Atlantic, marking an expansion of NATO's exercise activity in the Arctic region. The activity was part of Arctic Sentry, reflecting continued alliance focus on northern European waters.
Eight F-35B aircraft from 809 Naval Air Squadron were embarked on HMS Prince of Wales during the first phase of Operation Firecrest, with sorties reaching as far as Poland in July. The number and targets of the strikes conducted during the exercise have not been detailed in available reporting.
The players
NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is a military alliance of North American and European countries that runs multinational defense exercises, including Neptune Strike, which is conducted by its Naval Striking and Support Forces.
HMS Prince of Wales
A British Royal Navy aircraft carrier that led a multinational NATO force in July and carried F-35B jets during the first phase of Operation Firecrest.
The details
HMS Prince of Wales led a multinational force under NATO command in July and returned to Portsmouth at the end of the first phase of Operation Firecrest. During that phase, the group flew NATO's Air Policing mission over Iceland and the Arctic, while the UK Carrier Strike Group announced the strikes on X.
Timeline
July 2026: HMS Prince of Wales returned to Portsmouth, ending the first phase of Operation Firecrest.
July 2026: The July iteration of Exercise Neptune Strike extended into the High North.
Autumn 2026: Operation Firecrest's mission is due to resume in northern European waters.
November 2026: The Atlantic Future Forum is set to be hosted in Oslo.
Big Picture
The July iteration of Exercise Neptune Strike was the first to extend into the High North and North Atlantic, placing the exercise within NATO's Arctic Sentry activity in northern waters. The expansion follows the alliance's ongoing Air Policing mission over Iceland and the Arctic.
The expanded exercise area into the High North and North Atlantic signals continued NATO activity in Arctic waters that may affect shipping and military operations in the region. Readers tracking defense developments can follow the resumption of Operation Firecrest this autumn.
The takeaway
NATO's expansion of Neptune Strike into the Arctic shows the alliance extending its exercise footprint northward. Tracking the resumption of Operation Firecrest in autumn will show whether this northern focus continues.
What happens next
Operation Firecrest's mission is due to resume in northern European waters in autumn 2026, and the Atlantic Future Forum will be hosted in Oslo in November 2026.
Further reading
Explore more Military coverage for context on NATO exercises and carrier operations.
