HMS Prince of Wales has put to sea for pre-deployment training ahead of a British Carrier Strike Group deployment to the Pacific later this year.
The warship, after departing Portsmouth this morning, will be at sea for a number of weeks conducting training ahead of Carrier Strike Group 25.
Onboard the vessel one word dominates the mood: excited.
For the crew of the Royal Navy’s flagship, this mission marks the culmination of years of preparation, hard work, and perseverance. Speaking aboard the ship, Captain Will Blackett spoke to me on the sense of accomplishment that has brought them to this moment. “Excited” he said when asked to summarise the mood among the crew.
For Captain Blackett and his team, this deployment isn’t just another task; it represents the result of rigorous trials and intense training.
“It’s the first time this ship has held the duty of flagship,” Captain Blackett explained. “Over the course of four years, we’ve overcome quite a lot of challenges.” Among these was a major repair to the ship’s propeller system, a period that Captain Blackett acknowledged was critical in shaping the ship’s readiness.
Since then, the crew has put HMS Prince of Wales through its paces, both materially and operationally, ensuring that both the vessel and its sailors are prepared for the challenges ahead. “We’re ready to go,” said Captain Blackett. “The ship works, the team know what they’re going to do, and we’re on standby now waiting for instructions.”
The upcoming Carrier Strike Group 2025 operation will see HMS Prince of Wales take her task force east of the Suez Canal on a global mission. Britain’s two Queen Elizabeth-class carriers, HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Queen Elizabeth, regularly rotate the flagship title between them, with one ready for deployment and the other in routine maintenance.
This is the first time in her five-year career that HMS Prince of Wales has assumed the prestigious role.
Onboard @HMSPWLS, George Allison spoke to Captain Will Blackett about the ship’s role as flagship, its connection to Liverpool, and what the sight of a British carrier means to adversaries and allies alike. #HMSPrinceOfWales #RoyalNavy pic.twitter.com/96dgUJNoYT
— UK Defence Journal (@UKDefJournal) December 3, 2024
Reflecting on the significance of the moment, Captain Blackett remarked, “This is a proud moment for HMS Prince of Wales. We’ve been training hard, ably assisted by our sister ship HMS Queen Elizabeth. We’re ready, we’re excited, and look forward to taking the next step in the ship’s life.”
The transfer of the flagship role does not involve a formal ceremony, but the two carriers briefly met in UK waters before HMS Prince of Wales made her way to Liverpool for her official designation. HMS Queen Elizabeth’s Commanding Officer, Captain Will King, offered his support for the new flagship.
“Every Sailor in HMS Queen Elizabeth knows the pride that comes from serving in the RN Flagship. I wish HMS Prince of Wales every success taking on the title – they will do a fantastic job. As her sister-ship, we stand ready to support her in every way.”
As part of her preparations, HMS Prince of Wales participated in Exercise Strike Warrior, a major North Sea operation involving allied nations. The exercise included her first embarkation of F-35B Lightning jets from 809 Naval Air Squadron, which conducted 71 sorties over 210 flying hours and dropped live Paveway bombs during operational scenarios.
As HMS Prince of Wales sets her sights on the Pacific, the excitement on board is palpable.
I wonder what the Pacific deployment will look like now we have a new works order…Japan yes, Australia yes, but I bet it will be less intrusive on china than it could have been.
CSG25 is due to participate in a Five Powers exercise, so a Singapore port visit seems a cert. After being left out in 2021, I expect that Duqm Port in Oman will also get a visit by POW. Otherwise they may as well close the UK Joint Logistics Support Base (UKJLSB) there – I can’t see what it is being used for after plans to forward base a LRG(S) there were canned, and there’s been no hints of an Exercise Saif Sareea 4.
RFA Argus is supposed to be setting sail with the CSG but I’m not sure but it’s quite possible she is going to stop off and continue to be LSG south operating from Oman?
Hi Mate
The Chinese navy has ships conducting live firing drill in the Tasman sea at present. Air traffic between Aus and NZ being diverted. It’s a worry.
I read last night that part of the reason for POW departing Portsmouth today was to avoid the strike that include tug boat crews that are coming into force shortly. Obviously she was due to depart at some point soon anyway
I read that too, noting that SERCO, who provide the striking tugs, also won the tri-service recruitment contract.
>As HMS Prince of Wales sets her sights on the Pacific, the excitement on board is palpable.
For their sake, I hope that CSG25 is not cancelled. The problem being that sending all the UK’s operational F-35B’s halfway round the world may look very foolish if they are suddenly needed to provide air support to 3(UK) Division in Ukraine.
They can fly back, you know. Just have to leave a few to guard the carrier. Although it’s another good reason not to put UK troops into Ukraine as peacekeepers or observers.
How many F35 B on board..I hope about 30 😆 lol..plus Merlin helicopters..and drone..etc…that would be a powerful strike group??!!!
If they embarked on POW every qualified pilot and available flyable airframe at Marham then 24 F-35B’s is theoretically possible, but 18 is my guesstimate. POW will embark c.6 Merlin’s HM2’s, probably two in the Crowsnest ASaC config. The silence about Crowsnest is deafening, it’s obviously a turkey (penny wise, pound foolish …) and the preference and priority is configure most of the small fleet of Merlin MH2’s as ASW platforms. Given no Fort Victoria in the group, POW will probably embark a couple of Merlin Mk4’s for COD/VERTREP. A small utility helicopter would make a lot of sense, but it’s not clear if anything is available. Finally a flight from 700X NAS will surely embark with a few UAVs / RPAS.
Even if they only send 18, I hope they exercise with 24 at some point.