HMS Prince of Wales: Downing Street pours cold water on suggestion that aircraft carrier will be sent to Middle East
The government has hinted that HMS Prince of Wales is not being readied for a Middle East mission.
Reports over the weekend suggested that the Royal Navy’s flagship had been put on advanced readiness, with the crew told they must be prepared to leave with five, rather than 14 days’ notice.
Yesterday white tents were seen on the flight deck - and previously that has been a signal that the carriers are undergoing maintenance on the jets’ landing strip before operations.
However, now Downing Street has poured cold water on the suggestions that the Prince of Wales, is being readied to protect Britons in the Middle East amid the war between the US, Israel and Iran.
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Extra fighter jets and a warship, HMS Dragon, are already being sent to the region to bolster Britain’s forces, after drone attacks targeting UK bases. Dragon is currently in Portsmouth Harbour, back at the ammunition jetty after spending several days there last week.
Today the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “HMS Prince of Wales has always been on very high readiness. The MoD (Ministry of Defence) is increasing the preparedness of the carrier, reducing the time it would take to set sail for any deployment, but there is no decision taken to deploy her.”
He had earlier told reporters: “We have obviously been bolstering our military presence in the Middle East since January. As I’ve set out here before, we have deployed significant offensive capabilities to protect British people and our allies in the region, and that includes Typhoons, F-35 jets, air defence systems, and an extra 400 personnel into Cyprus.”
The MoD has previously said HMS Prince of Wales would deploy as part of the UK’s carrier strike group of warships for a Nato operation in the so-called High North.
Nato troops began a joint drill in the Arctic on Monday, according to reports across the media.
Asked if the aircraft carrier would be making the journey northward, in the opposite direction from the conflict in Iran, the spokesman replied: “I would just guide you away from it being linked to the Iranian activity.”
US President Donald Trump had criticised the UK for its reluctance to join the US-led conflict in the Middle East, after reports that the HMS Prince of Wales could be sent to the region emerged.
Mr Trump said “we don’t need them any longer” and “we don’t need people that join wars after we’ve already won!”.