Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales has returned to Portsmouth naval base after her landmark deployment to the east coast of the United States.
Britain’s biggest warship has spent the last few months undergoing sea and air trials, including training with American F-35 jets.
Crowds lined Portsmouth’s city walls to welcome the sailors home, while almost 3,000 family and friends were on the jetty to be reunited with their loved ones who set sail in September.
The £3bn carrier’s deployment to the US east coast was long-awaited after breaking down when setting sail for the trials last year.
The repairs took nine months to complete and were expected to cost £25m.
‘Huge Success’
HMS Prince of Wales Captain, Richard Hewitt told Forces News: “It’s been a huge success, from everything we were tasked to deliver, we have delivered and I think in some areas we’ve exceeded what we were expected to deliver.
“From my perspective as the Captain, the sailors have got away, had a fantastic time, had new experiences and to return them home today is really special.”
Highlights for Captain Hewitt included the exploration of the boundary of the F-35 aircraft and pushing that capability, as well as the “interchangeability with the US marine core and some of their tilt-rotor aircraft”.
He also highlighted the uncrewed aviation, “one of the drones we launched in UK waters, and also the same in the US waters.”
What’s next for HMS PoW?
“So PoW now, with the ship’s company taking some leave, a short meetings period at the start of the year, Captain Hewitt told Forces News.
“As we look to mid-2024, she will take over the role as the on-call strike carrier for the Royal Navy.”
He added, what a “huge” role this will be for the carrier.
“Queen Elizabeth will quite rightly have some downtime and some maintenance and PoW is back, ready to go, and ready to take up the mantle, looking forward to deploying in 2025.”
The carrier’s deployment focused on intensive trials with American F-35Bs, pushing the boundaries of the fifth-generation aircraft.
The F-35s completed shipborne rolling vertical landings on HMS Prince of Wales and also operated in ‘Beast Mode’, helping to expand the jets’ capabilities.
Other aircraft also operated from HMS Prince of Wales during the Westlant 23 deployment, including a nine-metre-long Mojave unmanned aircraft system – the largest uncrewed aircraft ever launched from a Royal Navy carrier.
As well as the training, a very special guest joined the carrier’s crew aboard – Lieutenant Commander Ike, a yellow Labrador who works as a US Navy therapy dog.
Forces News live-streamed HMS Prince of Wales’ return to Portsmouth which you can rewatch here.
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