HMS Prince of Wales (R09)

HMS Prince of Wales (R09)
Ship caption	HMS Prince of Wales underway in 2021
Ship country	United Kingdom
Ship name	HMS Prince of Wales
Ship namesake	Prince of Wales
Ship ordered	May 2008
Ship builder	BAE Systems
Ship laid down	26 May 2011
Ship launched	21 December 2017
Ship christened	8 September 2019
Ship commissioned	10 December 2019
Ship identification	Pennant number: R09
Ship motto	"Ich Dien" (I Serve)
Ship status	In active service
Ship class	Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier
Ship displacement	65,000 tonnes
Ship length	280 m
Ship beam	73 m
Ship draught	11 m
Ship power	2 × Rolls-Royce Marine Trent MT30 gas turbines
Ship propulsion	Integrated electric propulsion
Ship speed	In excess of 25 knots
Ship range	10,000 nautical miles
Ship complement	679 crew, air element of 1,600
Ship sensors	S1850M long-range radar, Artisan 3D radar
Ship armament	3 × Phalanx CIWS, 4 × 30mm DS30M Mark 2 Automated Small Calibre Guns, 6 × M134 Miniguns
Ship aircraft	Up to 60 aircraft
Ship aircraft facilities	4.5-acre flight deck, two aircraft lifts

Contents

Design and description
Construction and career
Operational history
Aircraft carried
Commanding officers
See also

HMS Prince of Wales (R09) is the second Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy. Named after the title Prince of Wales, she was commissioned in 2019 and forms a central component of the United Kingdom's carrier strike capability alongside her sister ship, HMS Queen Elizabeth (R08). The vessel is designed to operate the F-35B Lightning II stealth fighter and a range of helicopters, significantly enhancing the power projection of the British Armed Forces.

Design and description

The design of HMS *Prince of Wales* is based on the Queen Elizabeth class, developed under the Carrier Strike programme of the Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom). She features a unique twin-island configuration, with the forward island managing ship operations and the aft island controlling flight operations. The carrier's propulsion system utilises an Integrated electric propulsion setup powered by two Rolls-Royce MT30 gas turbines and four Wärtsilä diesel generators. Her flight deck, at approximately 280 metres long, includes a ski-jump ramp for launching Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing aircraft like the F-35B Lightning II. Defensive systems include the Phalanx CIWS and advanced radar suites such as the S1850M and Artisan 3D radar.

Construction and career

Construction of HMS *Prince of Wales* began with the steel-cutting at BAE Systems' Govan shipyard in May 2011. The ship's lower blocks were assembled at Rosyth Dockyard in Fife, Scotland, under the management of the Aircraft Carrier Alliance. She was formally named in a ceremony at Rosyth in September 2019, attended by Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. Following her commissioning into the Royal Navy in December 2019, she underwent extensive sea trials and operational training. A significant early setback occurred in 2020 when a major flood caused damage, requiring repairs at HMNB Portsmouth.

Operational history

After achieving initial operational capability, HMS *Prince of Wales* participated in Exercise Joint Warrior off the coast of Scotland. In 2021, she took over as the Royal Navy's high-readiness carrier, leading Carrier Strike Group 21. A landmark deployment began in 2022, sailing to the United States for Westlant 22 exercises with the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps, conducting intensive F-35B Lightning II trials. The carrier has also operated in the North Sea and the English Channel, integrating with NATO allies. In 2023, she deployed to the Arctic for exercises with partners including the Royal Norwegian Navy.

Aircraft carried

The air group of HMS *Prince of Wales* is centred on the F-35B Lightning II, operated jointly by the Royal Air Force's No. 617 Squadron RAF and the Fleet Air Arm. For airborne early warning and control, she embarks the Merlin Crowsnest variant of the AgustaWestland AW101. Utility and anti-submarine warfare roles are filled by Wildcat HMA2 and standard Merlin HM2 helicopters. The carrier can also accommodate Chinook heavy-lift helicopters from the British Army and aircraft from allied nations like the United States Marine Corps.

Commanding officers

The first commanding officer was Captain Darren Houston, who oversaw the commissioning and initial trials. Command was subsequently transferred to Captain Steve Higham, who led the vessel through its first major operational deployments. In 2022, Captain Richard Hewitt assumed command, presiding over the carrier's extended deployment to the North Atlantic and the Arctic.