Three maritime strike groups led by the United Kingdom, Italy and Türkiye are spearheading NATO’s Neptune Strike 26-4, the alliance’s fourth and final enhanced vigilance activity of 2026. Running from 16 October to 5 November, the exercise involves forces from 17 NATO nations, more than 20 warships and over 40 aircraft, including F-35B Lightning II fighters, AV-8B Harrier IIs and Bayraktar TB3 unmanned combat aircraft.
The UK Carrier Strike Group, centred on HMS Prince of Wales, is operating across Northern Europe, the North Atlantic and the High North with HMS Dauntless and the Norwegian frigate HNoMS Fridtjof Nansen. Its air wing includes Royal Navy and Royal Air Force F-35Bs.
In the Mediterranean, the Italian Carrier Strike Group is built around ITS Cavour, supported by ITS Andrea Doria and ITS Virginio Fasan. Cavour is operating Italian F-35B and AV-8B aircraft. Türkiye’s Anadolu Naval Task Group, centred on TCG Anadolu, is deployed in the Adriatic and Ionian seas with TCG Gaziantep, submarine TCG Gür, Turkish Marine forces and Bayraktar TB3 aircraft.
Led by NATO’s Naval Striking and Support Forces, the activity integrates maritime, air, land, amphibious, cyber and space capabilities. Training is focused on multinational command and control, interoperability, readiness and the coordination of forces across multiple regions and operational domains.