HMS Prince of Wales has arrived on the Clyde to ‘bomb up’, loading ammunition and supplies so the vessel is able to deploy operationally.
The aircraft carrier left Portsmouth this week, not long after the recent return of her sister from repairs in Scotland.
Local media report that the A814 between Whistlefield and Arrochar will be closed, as well as the C69 Glen Douglas road to limit public access.
The 65,000-tonne aircraft carrier is visiting Glenmallan in Scotland for a routine logistics visit. Since the jetty was upgraded, sister ship HMS Queen Elizabeth has previously visited the Northern Ammunition Jetty at Glen Mallan near Faslane. According to a news release on the upgrade work:
“We awarded a £67m contract to VolkerStevin in 2019. Alongside them, we worked with managing agent Jacobs, which provided engineering and professional services, as well as designer Arch Henderson. In completing this major project, £20m was spent with local suppliers and small and medium enterprises in Scotland. The jetty was last upgraded in the 1970s and had reached the end of its economic life. The upgrade work has not only extended the life of the jetty by an estimated fifty years, but has also made the site accessible for the Royal Navy’s aircraft carriers, HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales.
In fact, HMS Queen Elizabeth visited part way through the work, back in March 2021, in preparation for her first operational deployment. This was not originally planned but became necessary when the scale of the ship’s deployment increased, presenting the team with a challenge to make the jetty operational in time for her arrival. Everyone involved, from DIO, VolkerStevin, Jacobs and the various subcontractors worked closely together to enable HMS Queen Elizabeth to berth at the unfinished jetty, which she did successfully.”
In other news, the new Labour Government recently confirmed that the Royal Navy’s Carrier Strike Group, led by HMS Prince of Wales, will be deployed to the Indo-Pacific region in 2025. This announcement reaffirms plans laid out under the previous Conservative Government.
In a parliamentary question asked by James Cartlidge, Conservative MP for South Suffolk, on 17th July 2024, the status of the deployment was queried.
Luke Pollard, Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Ministry of Defence, confirmed on 25th July 2024 that the Ministry plans to proceed with the deployment. “Yes, the Ministry of Defence plans to deploy HMS Prince of Wales to the Indo-Pacific in 2025,” Pollard stated. Earlier this year, under the Conservative Government, former Defence Secretary Grant Shapps highlighted the strategic importance of such deployments. He detailed that sending HMS Prince of Wales to the Indo-Pacific was intended to send a strong message against any attempts to undermine the rules-based international order.
“In an increasingly volatile world where we can no longer take peace for granted, it’s critical to stand united with our allies and partners in defence of democracy and freedom,” Shapps had said.
HMS Prince of Wales will lead the UK Carrier Strike Group in a series of operations and exercises, including a port visit to Japan. The mission is designed to enhance defence relationships and demonstrate UK commitment to the Indo-Pacific. Shapps had noted the significance of joint exercises in conveying the UK’s readiness to respond to global threats and support free trade and travel.
This deployment follows the precedent set by HMS Queen Elizabeth, which led the 2021 Carrier Strike Group on a journey covering 55,000 nautical miles from the eastern Atlantic to Japan and back. During that deployment, the armed forces engaged diplomatically with over 40 nations, underscoring the importance of maintaining a global naval presence.
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Definitely going to need a few allied ships to help out with the carrier group for this deployment! Will we be inviting the USMC F35’s this time?
We will have 48 at the end of this year and we’re deploying 24. No plans to cross deck, in order to display a sovereign capability.
I do hope so, it would be a very good idea to have another 12 on board just to see how she can perform with a “full load”. I’m not a betting man but I’m pretty sure this thinking is front and foremost in certain departments. Let’s see a full load and see how capable this platform is .
We’re not going to get a full load, we may not even get 48 F35s till the end of next year, currently only have 2 active frontline squadrons of F35s which nominally would be squadrons of 12, may be less.
Don’t forgot not all aircraft are available all the time.
I was actually replying to Andrews question about whether the USMC might be invited again.
Ah, would be nice but they may want to try and have as little US involvement as possible to prove thr CSGs independence, though right now we’re missing key numbers of escorts and supply ships.
Not my area of expertise so apologies for the ignorance, but given that it seems likely that things could escalate quickly in the middle east, how quickly could either of the carriers deploy to the region?
To do what?
Stop the Iranians closing the straight of Hormuz for one. That would collapse the global economy.
It would not collapse the US economy. The US is energy independent and 80% of the oil it does import is from the Americas. Only 10% of the imported oil is from the Middle East.
So why does the US regularly deploy a carrier group to that area then?
Absolutely Paul, I’m sure one of the carriers will soon be heading East as all agents in the Middle East get entangled in the current crisis. Protecting waterways from possible Iranian adventurism is vital in keeping the goods moving. The real issue is just how long can Egypt and Jordan stay out of the action? The World’s military balance is now at crisis levels not seen in decades and Europe is not ready on many levels. Hiding behind USA’s contribution to NATO allowed most members to hit defence budgets for decades resulting in a shortfall in vital assets. Okay, we… Read more »
A significant number of different scenarios have been/are being wargamed. Upcoming US election adding adding additional uncertainty to calculations.
Could probably assume significant worldwide stagflation as an absolute minimum, if the Straight were to be closed for a significant period of time. Believe the previous high price for oil was ~$150/Barrel, which was obviously inflationary and may have been a significant factor in the last global recession. Almost guaranteed NATO and other allies would urilize every conventional capability available to break any blockade. Life in ME, and potentially portions of Europe, may become quite exciting, albeit abbreviated, if any major power deems that additional measures are required. 🤔😳🤞😱
Not as quickly as the Americans would.
It would appear that the high readiness carrier is performing its designed role. Not certain that RN could maintain a higher level of readiness than having stores, including ammunition, already aboard. Earlier this year, PWLS, which had been undergoing a maintenance period, demonstrated flexibility and resilience by substituting for QNLZ during an extensive NATO exercise, on seven days notice. Would presume PWLS is currently being maintained at 72 hours or less notice to sail. Reasonably certain MoD/RN are monitoring current events throughout ME closely. It is often stated that flexibility is the key to airpower, however, it seems to be… Read more »
Er…2nd sentence should read in part:…RN could indefinitely maintain a higher level of readiness than having stores, including munitions, aboard. 🙄
Thanks for sharing the knowledge everyone.
In other news Humza “white white white” Yousaf is criticising everyone right of centre, and calling for the army to be brought onto the streets.
Yousaf continues to demonstrate his poor judgement. The police have not lost control.
That never has a happy ending!
Hi folks hope all is well.
As Paull says, how long would it take to review HMS PoW to be moved to an urgent deployment on a potential emergency; considering the issues in the middle east matters can flare up very quickly. In addition would the UK be able to assemble other components for a strike group to be deployed.? I’m guessing that others would join us if required..
Cheers
George
To do what?
Protect Our airbases on Cyprus which Hezbollah has declared a target, aid in the defence of Israel. Protect shipping in the Red sea, deter Iran & its proxies. Be on hand to assist in evacuating Western nationals from Lebanon.
Though I’d rather see more direct support for UKR as Israel & the USA supporting should be plenty to sfafeguard herself. I’d also like to see both Hamas & Israeli leaders being dealt with for war crimes, Putin too.
We have a permanent carrier in the region – Cyprus….. Even has RAF PILOT rated accommodation…. Joking apart you can have several tankers….numbers of Typhoon and F35B…..P8 and a RIVET there pretty much as long as you want. There is a powerful fixed radar on top of a mountain. All on a nice island where people pay to go on holiday so R&R is top class. That said I have a pretty good idea of what the plan is from the press releases (which I’m surprised by from an OPSEC point of view). It is going to be a very… Read more »
Many thanks SB, as ever you experts put me straight on advise. Yes Cyprus, couldn’t get a better permanent carrier than solid ground! I suppose it wouldn’t take long to supply and add extra hardware to our forces based there.
Cheers
George
Cyprus is a great asset, but won’t help shutting down Iranian attempts to close the straight of Hormuz, which could massively disrupt the global economy. If you think the recent inflation crisis was bad, this one would be catastrophic – oil prices would go through the roof.
It would help, that’s where our aircraft will fly from to support
The tankers and other aircraft with long legs like P8 and RIVET can fly from Cyprus.
Those designs can fly very long distances rotating crew as per commercial. As long as there is a petrol station about!
That would also require permission from neighbouring countries and/or fighter protection. That would be much more difficult to provide from Cyprus.
You could put the F35B’s on a QEC and then escort the big birds with Typhoon.
Either way it provides assets that cannot operate from a QEC as well as pure mass.
The way things are going 2.5% isn’t going to be enough to move fast. There will need to be a separate capital fund as I floated the other day.
Why are they closing the road for this? They never closed the road for previous aircraft carriers. I have photos of the Ark Royal docked and me and my mates dived at the A frames (Finnart) while the ship was there.
It is always a surreal picture to see her moored in what appears to be the middle of nowhere.