Thread by @EngageStrategy1

I think i've teased you all enough. So here it is, how the FORTIS '21 (the Royal Navy's name for the deployment of the @HMSQNLZ carrier strike group's deploymenet to the Pacific) compares with similar annual group deployments conducted by the Royal Navy over the last 40 years./1

First of all, here are the four largest peacetime group deployments since 1982:
Argonaut '01 containing a whopping 26 ships of all types conducted in Exercise SAIF SAREEA 2 off Oman.

Aurora '04 visited the USA to develop amphibious skills after the '98 & '03 Defence Reviews./2

Ocean Wave '97 saw the group visit the Pacific & oversaw the ceremonial handover of Hong Kong.

Cougar '11 saw the roll out of the new "Response Force Task Group" concept after the 2010 SDSR, exercised in the Gulf before elements of it took part in the 2011 Libya Intervention./3

Cougar '13 involved exercises in the Gulf with the US and Saudi navies before HMS Illustrious was detatched to aid the Philippenes in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan.

Taurus '09 saw the deployment of the UK's amphibious group to the Pacific, including landing exercises with Brunei./4

Orient Express '83 involved the deploymet of the carrier group to the Pacific, including a visit to Australia, marred by controversy over whether she was carryng nuclear weapons, and exercises with the USS Kitty Hawk group in the South China Sea./5

Baltic Protector '19 saw the deployment of the UK amphibious group into the Baltic for combined NATO exercises under the new new Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) framework which includes a number of Scandanavian and Baltic states./6

Here we reach FORTIS '21, the QE carrier group's initial outing, on a slightly larger scale - in terms ships, than the Orion '08 carrier group deployment.

Auriga '10 and Argonaut '99 were both amphibious exercises in North America & the Mediterranean respectively./7

It is notable that the two Pacific carrier group deployments of the late 1980s and early 1990s did not feature a group as large or capable as the one deploying on FORTIS '21.

QE's deployment is also larger than the 2006 carrier group deployment to the Gulf & Indian Ocean./8

Obviously there are many other such deployments - the graphics above simply reflect the largest of them over the last 40 years, so for those who are really interested in the bigger picture and how it all breaks down here are the stats.

This table sorts by ships involved./9

Note: The 'heat map' colour coding system works in comparison to FORTIS '21. 'Hotter' is larger than 'Cooler' is smaller than./10

This table shows the same data sorted chronologically./11

And here is the list including only the deployments which visited the Pacific - note that these only include the whole group visiting, so ATG '18 which Albion joined from the Pacific and Cougar '13 where Illustrious departed for the Philippenes are omitted./12

Some interesting factors to note about FORTIS '21 which don't come out immediately from the raw numbers:
- The deployment contains the joint 3rd largest No of escort ships of any since 1982, only Argonaut '01 & Ocean Wave '97 had more.
- It is one of only 9 to feature an SSN./13

-Although the figures are not in the tables, it does contain the most fixed wing aircraft of any UK group deployment since 1982.
-There are have only been six larger group deployments in the last almost 40 years than FORTIS '21 and the largest of those were ~ two decades ago./14

In conclusion FORTIS '21 sits amongst some of the most substantial 'peacetime running' deployments of the last four decades.

The only group deployments to substantially surpass it were a handful of truly exceptional occasions around the turn of the milennium./15

Contrasted against previous RN deployments to the Pacific it is substantial and competitive with all but the largest - Ocean Wave '97 - and in some areas: specifically the number of UK escorts and multinational fixed wing aircraft involved it even compares well with that./16

So as @HMSQNLZ @HMSDefender @hmsdiamond @HMS_Richmond @hms_kent @HNLMS_Evertsen & USS The Sullivans @RFAFortVictoria and @RFATidespring, along with @815NAS @820NAS @OC617Sqn @845NAS @42_commando, the US Marines of VMFA-211 & many others (and the sub HMS >REDACTED<) set out/17

on FORTIS'21 they can be absolutely sure that they are doing so in the finest traditions of the service as part of a first rate task group.

Fair winds & following seas to @smrmoorhouse & everyone lucky enough to be involved in a slice of history, turning CGI into reality./18

And, after nearly 40 years, the aircraft elevators are finally in the right place. Which is nice.

Engaging Strategy, Out.

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