The UK will concentrate its naval and air power in Indo-Pacific as part of a rethink of its military approach.
The tilt to the Indo-Pacific will be explained fully in a review 2021 to be published Tuesday. The document will define what Prime Minister Boris Johnson's global Britain vision means in practice. It will concentrate on the UK's new focus on the Indo-Pacific and resistance to China.
This pivot will emphasize freedom of navigation operations by the Royal Navy. The UK will also increase its naval fleet, deploy more personnel to the Indo-Pacific and establish naval bases in the region.
In January the UK might join the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue - or Quad. Touted as the Asian NATO, Quad consists of the U.S., Japan, India and Australia. It establishes an Asian "arc of democracy" to counter China.
In February, the UK said the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth would deploy in April to the Mediterranean, the Indian Ocean and East Asia and transit the South China Sea.
Royal Navy Group Commodore Steve Moorehouse said the deployment would be the navy's largest peacetime task group in 25 years.
"In practical terms, my strike group is now at very high readiness - meaning we are at five days' notice to deploy, if required, in response to global events and in defense of British interests," Moorehouse said.
UK armed forces are drawing up plans to "forward base" more British military personnel, ships and planes to the Indo-Pacific and the Middle East.
Bases and ports in Japan, Australia and Singapore are being considered. The British military has also confirmed plans to triple the size of its military base on the coast of Oman - boosting the navy's presence east of Suez.
Johnson announced the UK would acquire 13 new frigates to restore Britain's position as "the foremost naval power in Europe."
