HMS Prince of Wales: Royal Navy carrier to leave Portsmouth for first time since major op - when, times
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She is due to soon take the helm of the Carrier Strike Group on Operation Firecrest
The Royal Navy flagship is due to leave Portsmouth for the first time since her last major deployment.
HMS Prince of Wales is scheduled to leave the naval base tomorrow evening (April 24) depending on the weather conditions. This will be the first time out on the water since completing Operation Highmast in the Indo-Pacific, an eight-month series of military drills and diplomatic engagements in the Far East.
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The 65,000 tonne warship returned home on November 30 in time for Christmas, with delighted families cheering and waving as their loved ones returned. According to the King’s Harbour Master shipping movements, the £3.2bn warship is set to leave the Princess Royal Jetty at roughly 6.30pm.
She will be provided with a pilot and tug assist from Tempest, Bountiful, Independent, Indulgent, Suzanne, and Christina. The flagship will then proceed to the NAB Tower at 7.20pm. HMS Prince of Wales’ departure is not her setting off for her next major deployment.
A post published on the ship’s social media account said: “After a period of planned maintenance, we’re gearing up to return to sea for tests and trials and to continue our mission.” A Royal Navy spokesman added: “HMS Prince of Wales is scheduled to leave HMNB Portsmouth for post-maintenance trials and exercises on Friday evening (April 24) subject to tides and conditions.”
What is the next major deployment for HMS Prince of Wales?
HMS Prince of Wales will soon take the helm of the UK Carrier Strike Group on Operation Firecrest. She’ll be joined by fellow warships, F-35 fighter jets, and other capabilities.
The British contingent will head to the North Atlantic and High North, at a time of rising threats from Russia. There has been a 30 per cent rise in Russian vessels sighted in UK waters in the past two years.
Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer has granted the Royal Navy and Royal Marines permission to board shadow fleet vessels - merchant ships which carry sanctioned cargo to boost Russia’s economy - but action has yet to materialise.
US jets are expected to operate from HMS Prince of Wales’ flight deck during the mission. The carrier is also expected to visit an American port and conduct various exercises linked to Nato’s Arctic Sentry mission. Extra security in the region is being considered due to new routes being created by melting sea ice - in an effort to get ahead of actions from Vladimir Putin and Moscow.
The deployment will come at a time of strained UK and US relationships. President Donald Trump insulted the carriers in r3ecent statements amid the Iran war, describing them as “toys” and ships that “don’t work”.