Royal Navy: HMS Prince of Wales starts operational sea training after leaving naval base in Portsmouth

The crew aboard HMS Prince of Wales began Operational Sea Training yesterday (September 9). The 65,000 tonne warship left HMNB Portsmouth to carry out the exercises last Wednesday (September 4).

Well-wishers gathered at several city landmarks to watch her depart. Operational Sea Training involves work up exercises to make sure the carrier and its personnel are ready for any future operations. The training packages can involve all of the carrier’s capabilities including use of its Merlin helicopters and F-35 fighter jets.

Often, these can push sailors and pilots to their limits in an effort to get them used to being back at sea. HMS Queen Elizabeth was carrying out similar operations last week. HMS Prince of Wales is due to be deployed to Japan and the Indo-Pacific region in early 2025.

She will be leading a UK Carrier Strike Group, where she will conduct a series of operations and trilateral exercises. The aim is to further develop the ability of each country’s armed forces to operate together. The UK works closely with Japan as part of the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP). Work will also be carried out with AUKUS allies USA and Australia.

It was announced in August that Norway would join them. Defence secretary John Healey told The News during a tour of HMS Diamond that the carriers would be central to the UK’s defence strategy. “The carriers are at the heart of the Royal navy capabilities, and the navy is at the heart of defending this country and the heart of Portsmouth's lifeblood and economy,” he said. “The Royal Navy goes back to the 12th century in its history here and looking out across the naval base, there are 14,000 people employed today on this base. For me, that brings home my central message that the defence of this country is made up of many parts and made up of many roles, but it’s one defence for one country.”