Frigates from British and New Zealand Navies Practice High Value Naval Tactic to Shield Carrier Group.

According to information published by the UK Ministry of Defence on July 5, 2025, the British Royal Navy’s flagship aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, accompanied by the Type 23 frigate HMS Richmond and the Royal New Zealand Navy's frigate HMNZS Te Kaha, conducted Barrier Operations training while deployed on Operation Highmast 2025. The coordinated drills focused on “barrier ops,” a high-value naval tactic where escort ships maneuver into strategic positions to intercept or deter incoming threats, such as hostile surface combatants, from targeting the carrier or key vessels within a strike group.
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British Royal Navy HMS Richmond and HMNZS Te Kaha from New Zealand Navy maneuver alongside during Barrier Operations training with HMS Prince of Wales as part of Operation Highmast 2025. (Picture source: UK MoD)

HMS Prince of Wales is a Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier and the largest and most advanced warship currently in British Royal Navy service. Designed for global power projection, it serves as a floating airbase capable of launching F-35B Lightning II stealth fighters and multiple helicopter types while housing state-of-the-art command and control systems. HMS Richmond, a Duke-class Type 23 frigate, specializes in anti-submarine warfare but also fulfills general escort and maritime security missions with her advanced sonar, Sea Ceptor missile system, and 4.5-inch naval gun. HMNZS Te Kaha, an Anzac-class frigate from the Royal New Zealand Navy, has recently undergone combat system upgrades, enhancing her radar, weapons, and command suite to operate effectively in complex coalition environments.

HMNZS Te Kaha (F77) is an Anzac-class frigate serving in the Royal New Zealand Navy and represents one of the most capable surface combatants in New Zealand's maritime fleet. Commissioned in 1997 and extensively modernized in recent years, Te Kaha is equipped with upgraded surveillance radar, combat management systems, and advanced missile capabilities, including the integration of the Lockheed Martin CMS 330 combat system and the MBDA Sea Ceptor surface-to-air missile. Designed for multirole operations, the frigate is capable of conducting air defense, surface warfare, and maritime security missions. Her participation in international exercises and deployments, such as Operation Highmast 2025, reflects New Zealand’s commitment to regional security and its ability to operate seamlessly alongside larger allied naval forces.

Barrier Operations, or “barrier ops,” are a tactical maneuver used by naval task groups to create a dynamic defense screen against surface threats. This involves escort ships repositioning into key interception points between a high-value unit, like an aircraft carrier, and a simulated enemy vessel. The operation is designed to delay, deter, or defeat any approaching threat before it reaches its target. Ships participating in barrier ops may act as decoys or interceptors, utilizing onboard sensors, communication systems, and weaponry to neutralize the threat. The success of such operations relies on precision timing, real-time threat assessment, and seamless command coordination, making it a critical capability in high-threat maritime environments.

This training evolution is a core warfighting discipline within the British Royal Navy Carrier Strike Group (CSG) concept. By executing barrier operations in a dynamic maritime scenario, the participating ships demonstrated advanced interoperability and combat coordination. The scenario tested the ability of frigates to rapidly reposition and form a defensive screen, essential to protecting high-value units like HMS Prince of Wales during real-world operations. The exercise was carried out in a simulated threat environment designed to emulate modern maritime conflict conditions, including high-speed approach vectors and multidomain threats.

Operation Highmast is the British Royal Navy’s most expansive deployment of 2025, mobilizing a multinational task group through key maritime theaters including the Mediterranean, the Arabian Gulf, and onward to the Indo-Pacific. The mission encompasses a wide spectrum of naval capabilities, ranging from carrier-based air power projection to anti-submarine warfare and maritime security operations. With participation from over a dozen allied navies, the deployment showcases the United Kingdom’s strategic commitment to freedom of navigation and collective security in contested maritime zones.

The inclusion of HMNZS Te Kaha in this phase of training underlines the close operational ties between the United Kingdom and New Zealand, reinforcing the strategic alignment among Five Eyes partners in maintaining rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific. The British Royal Navy emphasized that exercises like this one are not only about tactical readiness but also about affirming unity and deterrence through presence and cooperation at sea. As the HMS Prince of Wales leads the Carrier Strike Group across some of the most vital maritime corridors globally, such high-end warfighting drills signal to both allies and potential adversaries the depth of coalition naval proficiency and readiness.