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Helicopters and frigates that are part of the HMS Queen Elizabeth combat group have detected and tracked the Chinese submarine. The helicopter and frigate crew eventually reported to the carrier commander to evade the Chinese submarine.
The commander of the HMS Queen Elizabeth combat group, Commodore Steve Moorhouse, revealed this in an interview with Sky News.
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The disputed waters are largely controlled by Beijing and as such there are many Chinese fighter jets and submarines following the British carrier strike group during its mission between August and October 2021.
However, Moorhouse said, the last Chinese submarine mission was unable to follow HMS Queen Elizabeth precisely because British forces tracked the submarine’s movements and steered the carrier so it never crossed paths.
“On several occasions we believed we knew where their submarine was. So we actually almost held the submarine [China] and then we can move the carrier around it, really step aside, so we can continue our journey safely.”
“China’s fighter jets, in turn, continue to follow the carrier strike group, but remain at a safe and professional distance and in accordance [hukum internasional],” added Moorhouse.
According to him, fighter jets from the HMS Queen Elizabeth fighter group could fly close enough to be within range to fire a missile and would then turn around showing what they could do if they wanted to.
However, none of the jets from HMS Queen Elizabeth, mostly F-35 stealth fighters, were brought into action due to a lack of need.
“In that kind of cat and mouse game, I’m absolutely clear that they’re turning away from a distance where they might use us to facilitate their own training in the same way we do them. So, it doesn’t worry us, ‘ said Moorhouse.
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