Royal Navy: HMS Prince of Wales nears Portsmouth return from "mammoth" deployment as ship reaches Gibraltar
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The Royal Navy flagship is closing in on a return home to Portsmouth following a “mammoth” deployment.
HMS Prince of Wales, accompanied by the UK Carrier Strike Group under her command, reached Gibraltar on Sunday morning (November 23). This is the second time the £3.2bn warship has visited the British Overseas Territory.
She was last there in 2021, but this time the Queen Elizabeth-class carrier is accompanied by HMS Dauntless, HMS Richmond, RFA Tidespring, RFA Tideforce, and her full compliment of F-35B fighter jets and other aircraft.
The Gibraltar Chronicle reported that a 12-gun salute was fired from the carrier as she sailed alongside. A return was fired from the Gibraltar Naval Base. The UKCSG recently completed Exercise Falcon Strike, an extensive series of naval and aerial drills led by the Italian military.
HMS Prince of Wales was placed under Nato command and deemed to have reached full operational capability, where a military asset can operate all of its intended uses and be maintained. Defence secretary John Healey previously said this signalled that the UK was moving towards war-fighting readiness.
“We are in a new era of threat that demands a new era for defence,” he added. “Our strength comes from hard power and strong alliances, so it is fitting to mark this moment alongside one of our closest Nato allies in Italy. Their F-35s have been operating from the carrier to demonstrate the deep partnership between our militaries.”
The Royal Navy flagship is on the final stages of her huge Indo-Pacific deployment, named Operation Highmast. Large crowds watched her departure from Portsmouth on April 22. The deployment as a whole covers 26,000 nautical miles, and saw sailors complete drills in Australia, Japan, India, South Korea and elsewhere.
Over the course of the operation, upwards of 4,500 British military personnel have been involved, including nearly 600 RAF personnel and 900 soldiers accompanying 2,500 Royal Navy sailors and Royal Marines.
Defence minster Al Carns, a former Royal Marine, previously said her operation was a “mammoth” undertaking. He added: “Spending six months away from home, on the far side of the world, ready at a moment’s notice to defend your life and the lives of your fellow shipmates – is a big ask for anyone.
“Deployments like this, which see us training alongside NATO allies and expanding our defence relations around the world, are critical to boosting our national security – keeping us secure at home and strong abroad.”