International Missions – Part of the Navy’s New Everyday Reality

Marianne Hamilton Ekholm (left) is the first Swedish officer to complete the Principal Warfare Officer Course with the Royal Navy in the UK. On the right is Johan Norlén, Chief of the Navy. Photo: Swedish Armed Forces

Operation Highmast was an eight-month deployment by the British carrier strike group CSG25, led by the aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales. Shown are two British F-35B fighter aircraft. Photo: Swedish Armed Forces

The Principal Warfare Officer Course (PWO) with the Royal Navy is a programme offered to only a small number of officers from selected nations. The course prepares participants for future roles as commanding officers on frigates, destroyers, or aircraft carriers. Hamilton Ekholm returned home with advanced knowledge in air defence—an area that is central to the future development of the Swedish Navy, as both new vessels and existing platforms will be equipped with surface-to-air missile systems.

When Marianne was asked whether she wanted to join the British-led carrier strike group on a global military deployment demonstrating presence in the Indo-Pacific region—with a particular focus on the air domain—she did not hesitate. The mission began in Japan.

“I was asked by Naval Staff to take part in Operation Highmast due to my previous training, and it has been a unique opportunity to follow along and apply what I learned from the Royal Navy in practice,” says Marianne Hamilton Ekholm.

Intensive Training Periods

A heatwave greeted Marianne when she arrived in Japan, where she relieved Claes Olovsson, who had sailed aboard HMS Dauntless for the previous two and a half months. The crews of the British carrier strike group had just completed several weeks of maintenance and leave, during which many families had travelled across the globe to visit their loved ones. Morale was high and combat readiness strong after a well-earned break.

The British operation was on a scale the Swedish Navy is not normally accustomed to, and Marianne looked forward to the final phase of Highmast.

“As soon as we departed Japan, we began joint exercises with Japanese naval units, interspersed with operational activities. The tempo was generally high, with many airborne units in the air simultaneously,” says Marianne Hamilton Ekholm.
The Navy Strengthened in Air Defence Expertise
Aboard the British destroyer, no two days were alike. For most of the time the force operated at a heightened state of readiness, adjusted according to the evolving threat picture along the final route of the operation. The route—from Japan through the Korea Strait, the South China Sea, onward through the Red Sea, and finally via the Mediterranean back to the UK—presented the force with challenges across multiple readiness levels.

Exercises focused largely on identifying and managing threats in the air domain, with numerous aircraft and drones testing the carrier strike group’s air-defence capability. At times it was intense in the AMDC cell (Air and Missile Defence Command Cell), where air and missile defence was coordinated—especially when the air picture became crowded with many simultaneous aerial platforms.

“My role onboard was as a Swedish Liaison Officer (LNO), but thanks to my PWO background I was given the opportunity to take on greater responsibility and support both the commanding officer in their air-defence role as well as the ship’s Air Warfare Officer and PWO. That meant I became more integrated into the crew and worked more operationally than I had expected as a Swedish LNO. Working close to operations gave me a clear overall picture and valuable operational experience to bring home,” says Marianne Hamilton Ekholm.

The Navy’s New Mission

Sweden’s participation in Operation Highmast was a natural step. The Navy is facing new tasks and is growing into a defence alliance with broader responsibilities, more ships, and larger crews. Marianne, Claes, and Nina—all of whom took part in the operation—bring back important lessons on how the Navy must operate to deliver what allies will expect in the future. Their experience will also be invaluable in the development of the upcoming Luleå-class vessels.

Key factors such as personnel resources, future challenges, competencies, and essential recreation opportunities were all highlighted as new insights after serving within a carrier strike group.

“This type of exchange provides us with concrete skills and insights that will be decisive when we staff our future air-defence frigates,” says Chief of Navy Johan Norlén.

Operation Highmast – The End of an International Mission

The operation has now concluded, and after nearly eight months at sea, the British carrier strike group has been declared fully operational and ready to undertake NATO tasks. The deployment was a joint and integrated operation requiring support from large parts of the British Armed Forces, as well as significant contributions from international partners and allies.

During Operation Highmast, the force covered approximately 40,000 nautical miles and conducted over 2,500 aircraft, drone, and helicopter sorties with the largest and most advanced British Carrier Air Wing to date. At the same time, operations integrated 20 ships from eleven different nations.

The mission further deepened cooperation between NATO and partner countries, while also demonstrating the alliance’s sustained presence in the Indo-Pacific region.

“Exchanges like this strengthen us as allies, because we learn how to work together with the countries we may operate alongside—both internationally and at home. The Swedish Navy has many strengths, but we also have much to learn from our allies,” concludes Marianne Hamilton Ekholm.