Royal Navy: HMS Prince of Wales "bomb up" before Indo-Pacific deployment as ship loads ammunition in Scotland

HMS Prince of Wales arrived on the River Clyde in Scotland on Friday morning (March 7) ahead of leading the UK Carrier Strike Group this Spring. The 65,000 tonne aircraft carrier will be operating in the Indo-Pacific region alongside allied forces - with military drills and diplomatic visits planned in Australia, Japan and elsewhere.

The flagship was spotted off the coast of Gourock and Greenock - along the Inverclyde shoreline - during her visit to the Glen Mallen in Argyll as part of a routine logistics visit. The Lochside Press reported the A814 between Whistlefield and Arrochar was closed, and the C69 Glen Douglas road, to limit public access to the area.

Its Jetty was upgraded in 2022 to allow for aircraft carriers to be accommodated and given vital supplies. The UK Defence Journal reported the carrier visited Glen Mallen in what is colloquially known as a “bomb up” process, where warships are loaded up to make sure they are able to deploy and meet all of its intended operations.

During the journey to Scotland, King Charles III became the first Monarch to visit a Royal Navy warship at sea in almost 40 years. His Majesty arrived on the flight deck of HMS Prince of Wales by helicopter, speaking with the ship’s company during a tour of the vessel.

He told told personnel gathered in the hangar: “As you prepare to set sail as the flagship of the UK Carrier Strike Group, building on the success of HMS Queen Elizabeth’s inaugural deployment in 2021, I just wanted to express, on behalf of the nation, my heartfelt gratitude for the extraordinarily valuable contributions and personal sacrifices that you and your families continue to make in the name of duty. I can sense the anticipation and excitement amongst many of you today for what lies ahead over the next eight months and all I can say is I will be watching your progress with great interest.”