Britain tracked Chinese submarines and was ready to intercept jets in South China Sea

Chinese jets were also in the air, but they maintained a “professional” distance by turning away barely beyond missile-firing range – roughly 150 miles distant.

“In that sort of cat and mouse type game, I am absolutely clear they are turning away at ranges where they are probably using us to facilitate their own training in the same way that we would do it towards them,” Commodore Steve Moorhouse, commanding officer of the UK Carrier Strike Group, said. As a result, it didn’t bother us.

The fresh information concerning Britain’s maritime confrontation with China, which took place between August and October, came as the defence secretary stated that it is “very likely” that the carrier will be used to launch airstrikes against terrorist targets in the future, probably in Afghanistan.

According to a Pentagon study, China would have at least 1,000 nuclear warheads by 2030.

During a visit to the ship, which is on a layover in Oman, Ben Wallace stated that this would be “to take out those who constitute an imminent threat to the United Kingdom or our friends.”

Rare access to the Queen Elizabeth on her first deployment, called Operation Fortis, from the UK to the Far East and back, was granted to Sky News this week.

The carrier has traveled more than 40,000 nautical miles and counting since May, escorted by a fleet of Royal Navy, Dutch, and American warships, as well as 40 foreign militaries.

Cdre Moorhouse, who is now on his way home, said the tour had an impact.

During a nearly three-week period of Russian activity, pilots were strapped into their jets with weapons loaded at times.

When Russian jets closed in on the carrier as it sailed through the Eastern Mediterranean in June, it was perhaps the most difficult test for its crew of 1,600 sailors, marines, and airmen.

Lined up on board, British and American F-35 warplanes were scrambled to intercept and escort Russian aircraft, marking the first occasion in living memory that British pilots had launched at sea to intercept and escort Russian aircraft.

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“It was fantastic,” said Commander Mark Sparrow, commanding officer of 617 Squadron, which pilots the F-35, the UK’s next-generation stealth fighter.

“It’s thrilling enough to take off from a carrier in regular circumstances, but when you’re doing it in a hurry, it gives that extra edge, and then to see an SU-35 or an SU-34 [Russian fighter plane] visually is always thrilling.”

The HMS Queen Elizabeth flew F-35 fighter jets 24 hours a day, while the frigates and destroyers that accompanied her performed additional duties.

During a nearly three-week period of Russian action, pilots were strapped into their aircraft, weapons loaded, engines running, and ready to take off as soon as possible.

“We simply are not going to be bullied around,” Cdre Moorhouse stated when asked what message the carrier strike group had delivered to Moscow. It’s a large body of water, and nations should be permitted to operate freely there.”

As the carrier headed towards the South China Sea, the most anticipated phase of the mission, officers in the operations room indicated they were prepared for a similar threat, this time from China.

“We observed [Chinese] aircraft come out at range and hold off at range,” Lt Cdr Hanks explained. “So the criteria to have the [flight] deck at the correct alert cycle was met, but the necessity to launch them [F-35 planes to intercept] was never really needed.”

Since May, the carrier has traveled more than 40,000 nautical miles and counting, escorted by a flotilla of Royal Navy, Dutch, and American warships.

“We were all a bit let down, we were a bit upset,” he stated when asked how he felt about the lack of high-speed scrambles. We were so pumped up after the Eastern Mediterranean operation and so satisfied with everyone’s performance that we wanted to do it all over again, practically on the other side of the planet.”

The Chinese air manoeuvres were assessed by Cdre Moorhouse as “safe, professional, and suitable ranges.”

However, the wider UK strike group of warships and helicopters had the opportunity to practice their submarine-hunting talents.

Officers in the operations room indicated they were ready for Russia and China’s challenges.

The commanding officer said he had urged his troops to show Beijing “how good we really are” after their experience operating in the South China Sea.

This involved flying F-35 fighter fighters 24 hours a day, while frigates and destroyers nearby performed other duties.