How is a Royal Navy carrier maintained on deployment? "Meticulous planning" for managing HMS Prince of Wales
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Support engineers from Portsmouth played a vital role in maintaining the Royal Navy flagship during her global deployment.
Engineers from Forward Support Units (FSU) were deployed to oversee HMS Prince of Wales and the UK Carrier Strike Group (UKCSG) in the Indo-Pacific. The £3.2bn aircraft carrier and HMS Richmond were monitored during maintenance periods in South Korea and Japan.
These moments are vital to make sure naval assets can complete all operations, and FSU units can offer greater capacity. Lieutenant Commander Andy Hunt, Weapon Engineering Officer of HMS Richmond, added: “We’re incredibly grateful for the support we received from FSU.
“The range of experience and knowledge they provide helped us resolve long-standing issues and restore some major capability for the remainder of CSG25. It also meant many of my department were able to take some well-deserved leave without any loss in output.”
FSU Brunel, based in Portsmouth, and FSU Campbell, operating in Plymouth, were both deployed. Over a 19-day period, 35 engineers - supported by seven reservists - delivered a comprehensive maintenance package. General maintenance was carried out alongside more complex engineering jobs.
Teams worked alongside the engineers on both ships to assist with emergent defect rectification, correcting various flaws and issues which have sprung up during operations. Personnel from each ship were able to take some well-deserved respite while the FSU teams carried out this work.
Lieutenant Barry Moss, Officer in Charge of FSU Campbell, added: “This support period involved meticulous planning, addressing both the operational demands of the ships and the coordination of workforce and welfare arrangements for the deploying team.
“It stands as the most significant operational deployment of the FSU since its inception in 2021, underscoring our proven capability to deliver engineering support at extended reach.”
HMS Prince of Wales is currently in Goa, India, with HMS Richmond situated in Mumbai to accommodate the visit of prime minister Sir Keir Starmer.