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Britain’s biggest warship sailed for Norway on Monday afternoon to lead an international task group for a military exercise in the face of the threat posed by Vladimir Putin.
Aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales departed from Portsmouth on Monday afternoon.
The vessel’s departure from on Sunday was postponed at the last minute as it was about to set sail to replace its sister ship, HMS Queen Elizabeth, which was forced to cancel its own deployment a week ago.
The crews of both ships and dockyard staff have worked around the clock to prepare HMS Prince of Wales to sail, said the Ministry of Defence stressed.
The Prince of Wales will lead the Royal Navy’s involvement in the largest NATO exercise since the Cold War, Steadfast Defender.
Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said: “In an increasingly dangerous world, where it is more important than ever that we stand united with our allies, HMS Prince of Wales will send a powerful message of collective security and deterrence at the head of this multinational strike group.”
“I am immensely proud of how my ship’s company and their families have responded to this short-notice tasking,” said Captain Will Blackett, HMS Prince of Wales’ Commanding Officer.
“We have managed to bring the ship from 30 days’ notice to immediate readiness in just one week. This has been a monumental effort by the whole enterprise, including HMS Queen Elizabeth, Portsmouth Naval Base, and our numerous defence and industry partners.
“HMS Prince of Wales is now ready to go; we are all looking forward to delivering the mission.”
The aircraft carrier is taking the place of her sister, HMS Queen Elizabeth, which is unable to participate due to an issue with her propeller shaft coupling.
The aircraft carrier will be at the heart of combined exercises involving the alliance forces, Steadfast Defender – a huge demonstration of NATO’s resolve, unity and capability involving more than 20,000 UK military personnel alone deployed across Scandinavia and northern Europe, the MoD added.
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HMS Prince of Wales will lead a carrier strike group of eight ships, four of them British, including frigate HMS Somerset and two Tide-class tankers from the Royal Fleet Auxiliary – supported by US, Spanish and Danish vessels.
They form one of the most potent naval forces of the exercise – an allied fleet of 40 vessels, drawn from more than two dozen nations, committed to the seagoing element of Steadfast Defender, which will take place off Norway’s Arctic coast from late February into March.
The carrier brings the capability of her F-35B Lightning stealth fighters from 617 ‘Dambusters’ Squadron at RAF Marham, submarine hunting and airborne early warning Merlin Mk2 helicopters from RNAS Culdrose, and battlefield Wildcat helicopters of 847 Naval Air Squadron from RNAS Yeovilton.
Before heading for Norwegian waters, HMS Prince of Wales is conducting a week’s training in the North Sea with her air group to hone the skills of the 780-strong ship’s company – plus nearly 600 men and women embarked with the F-35s and helicopters.
“I cannot emphasise enough how much hard work has been required over the last week to put us in the position we are now in with an ability to sail HMS Prince of Wales as part of my Carrier Strike Group,” said Commodore James Blackmore, Commander UK Carrier Strike Group, in overall charge of the ship and escorts.
Earlier, security minister Tom Tugendhat, said it was “not acceptable” that Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales was sitting in dock when it should be out “defending our interests abroad” after HMS Queen Elizabeth had to be pulled out of the military exercise.
The £3 billion warship had been expected to take part in the largest Nato exercise since the Cold War, involving more than 40 vessels, but final checks detected an “issue” with the starboard propeller coupling.
Since the cancellation was announced, the crew and base workers have been preparing HMS Prince of Wales to take over HMS Queen Elizabeth’s role in Exercise Steadfast Defender off Norway.
It isn’t acceptable that we have such expensive and important items of kit sitting in dock when they should be out defending our interests abroad
Security minister Tom Tugendhat
Asked what had happened to HMS Prince of Wales on Sunday, Mr Tugendhat told LBC: “I’m afraid it’s not something I can explain – that’s a matter for the MoD (Ministry of Defence), and I’m going to have to ask some questions about it.
“But I’m sure the First Sea Lord is looking at this right now. Admiral (Sir Ben) Key has commanded an aircraft carrier in the past and will no doubt be all over the details of this and making sure they set sail as soon as possible.
“It isn’t acceptable that we have such expensive and important items of kit sitting in dock when they should be out defending our interests abroad.”
An MoD spokesman confirmed HMS Prince of Wales’s sailing had been postponed but did not give a reason for the last-minute decision.
He said: “The aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales is due to sail from Portsmouth soon, subject to suitable tide and weather conditions.”
HMS Prince of Wales is now expected to set sail on Monday February 12.
Mr Tugendhat also rejected the suggestion that the warship can only sail on a sunny day when the tide is going the right way.
On completion of initial investigations, HMS Queen Elizabeth will sail for Rosyth in Scotland so any necessary repairs can be carried out in due course. The cause of the issue with HMS Queen Elizabeth is wear and tear of her starboard propeller shaft coupling
Royal Navy spokesman
Asked whether the aircraft carrier can only be used in such conditions, he told LBC: “That is absolutely not correct.
“Our warships are capable of operating in practically all weathers… the reality is we have a completely capable Navy with some extraordinary sailors who are able to equip and deploy our vessels around the world.
“And you can see them in operations today, fighting the Houthis in the Red Sea, but also defending our interests around the world.”
Meanwhile, HMS Queen Elizabeth is undergoing investigation.
A Royal Navy spokesman said: “On completion of initial investigations, HMS Queen Elizabeth will sail for Rosyth in Scotland so any necessary repairs can be carried out in due course.
“The cause of the issue with HMS Queen Elizabeth is wear and tear of her starboard propeller shaft coupling.”