HMS Prince of Wales: Royal Navy's second aircraft carrier to begin sea trials in 2019 '˜all being well'

HMS Prince of Wales will begin sea trials in 2019 '˜all being well', her commanding officer has said.Â
By The Newsroom
Published 11th Nov 2018, 16:08 BST
Updated 12th Nov 2018, 20:54 BST
Work continues on the flight deck during a tour of the under-construction aircraft carrier, HMS Prince of Wales, at BAE Systems in Rosyth, Fife. Picture: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire.Work continues on the flight deck during a tour of the under-construction aircraft carrier, HMS Prince of Wales, at BAE Systems in Rosyth, Fife. Picture: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire.
Work continues on the flight deck during a tour of the under-construction aircraft carrier, HMS Prince of Wales, at BAE Systems in Rosyth, Fife. Picture: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire.

The aircraft carrier, which is HMS Queen Elizabeth's sister ship, is currently under construction at BAE Systems in Rosyth, Fife. 

But if work continues at the current pace, she is on course to take to the waters for sea trials in the next 12 months. 

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Commanding Officer, Captain Stephen Moorhouse, said in a video: '˜We're just over a year since her Royal Highness named the ship and we're just under a year, all being well, from going to sea. 

Work continues on the flight deck during a tour of the under-construction aircraft carrier, HMS Prince of Wales, at BAE Systems in Rosyth, Fife. Picture: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire.Work continues on the flight deck during a tour of the under-construction aircraft carrier, HMS Prince of Wales, at BAE Systems in Rosyth, Fife. Picture: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire.
Work continues on the flight deck during a tour of the under-construction aircraft carrier, HMS Prince of Wales, at BAE Systems in Rosyth, Fife. Picture: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire.
Read More
HMS Queen Elizabeth: Where were the Royal Navy carrier and her sister ship HMS P...

'˜So for you to come and see how we are doing at that halfway stage is a really important moment for us. 

'˜The Queen Elizabeth Class Carrier programme will set the Royal Navy right up there with the best navies in the world. 

'˜To operate Aircraft Carriers requires an ability and a sophistication that most navies just simply cannot aspire to and to have two out there really is a game changer.' 

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Construction of the ship began in 2011, with some of the blocks built in Portsmouth and then sent up to Rosyth on a barge for assembly.

She will be commissioned in 2020 and is the second Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier under construction for the Royal Navy '“ plus the seventh Royal Navy ship to have the name HMS Prince of Wales.

 

Related topics:Royal NavyHMS Prince of WalesHMS Queen ElizabethBAE Systems