Royal Navy Head: U.K. Committed to Operate More in Indo-Pacific with U.S., Allies - USNI News

The U.K. plans to have a greater British presence in the Indo-Pacific region, as it adheres to a recent security assessment that calls for a pivot to Asia, the top admiral in the Royal Navy said on Wednesday.

While the United States has for several years emphasized a strategy concentrating on the Indo-Pacific and a military threat from China, the U.K. in March released a strategy document that calls for its own shift to the region and specifically names China as a competitor.

“I think we’ve been very clear in our integrated review that through a security lens, we see Russia as being a distinct threat and we see China as being a challenge and a competitor,” First Sea Lord Adm. Tony Radakin told reporters today at the U.S. Navy Museum.

“And I think when we talk about a tilt to the Indo-Pacific, it’s about recognizing the economic weight of the Indo-Pacific. By 2040 to 2050, 40 percent of the world’s GDP is going to be harbored in that region. So we’re an outward-facing maritime trading nation that has interests all around the globe. And therefore we’re reaching out and following those interests. And that to me – it’s incredibly normal. It’s part of our nation’s history and trading traditions. And that’s what’s happening with the Indo-Pacific.”

Radakin is in Washington, D.C., as the U.K. Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth (R08) kicks off its maiden deployment, which will mark a growing British presence in the region.