Royal Navy Aircraft Carrier HMS Prince of Wales Is Making a Big ‘Comeback’

Summary and Key Points: HMS Prince of Wales, Britain’s second Queen Elizabeth-class carrier, represents both strategic promise and ongoing frustration. Critical to the UK’s naval power projection, the ship can carry dozens of F-35Bs, enhancing Britain’s military influence globally.

-Yet recurring mechanical problems, such as significant shaft misalignments and severe leaks, have consistently delayed operational readiness and inflated costs, sparking debate about possibly selling the vessel.

-Despite these setbacks, HMS Prince of Wales recently regained momentum, planning an Indo-Pacific deployment, signaling confidence in its future. Named after a celebrated WWII battleship, its legacy underscores resilience, suggesting the carrier might overcome current challenges and prevail.

Troubled Waters: Can Britain’s HMS Prince of Wales Finally Overcome Its Failures

Britain’s second Queen Elizabeth-class carrier, the HMS Prince of Wales, could be described as somewhat of a paradox or contradiction, as the ship is about as troubled as it is successful and important to the Royal Navy. 

As the second flagship carrier in a prestigious and nationally-defining ship effort, the HMS Prince of Wales has been at the center of controversy for quite some time. The ship is considered critical to the Royal Navy and part of the United Kingdom’s national identity.

However, mechanical and technical problems have derailed its progress for many years and caused financial strain on the United Kingdom. Some from within the UK advocate ultimately selling the carrier to recover some of the lost money, yet supporters of the ship point to its defining capabilities and relevance to British national security. 

Much like the lead vessel, HMS Queen Elizabeth carrier, the HMS Prince of Wales operates without catapults and instead relies upon Short Take Off and Landing (STOL) aircraft such as the F-35B.

The ship can support as many as 48-to-70 F-35Bs, helicopters, and airborne early-warning aircraft. Given the UK’s F-35 buy, the presence of a second Queen Elizabeth class carrier brings massive ability to project power beyond England’s shores.

It enables the UK to operate forward in the Baltic Sea or even the Mediterranean and vast Atlantic. 

The carrier’s promise, however, is offset by continued lingering problems related to cost and performance.

The 19FortyFive reported previously on the ship, outlining the major issues associated with its performance. Mechanical failure related to the port shaft and starboard shaft misalignment delayed the ship’s operational schedule.

Efforts to repair and revive the carrier have raised some hopes yet highlighted fundamental problems and vulnerabilities woven into the ship’s design and construction. 

As far back as 2020, the ship’s operational readiness was compromised due to two serious leaks which required repairs.

This history means that, despite its promise and value to the UK, the ship has perpetually suffered with an inability to reach its intended potential. 

However, just as a Phoenix rises from the ashes of its own destruction, the HMS Prince of Wales may live to protect the UK after all.

Its most recent indications are that the ship will survive and surge into the future with the Royal Navy.

The ship is now preparing for a deployment to the Indo-Pacific and was recently visited by King Charles. 

WWII-era Prince of Wales

The embattled HMS Prince of Wales carrier is named after one of the most famous battleships to ever fight as part of the British Navy, the World War II-era King George V-class battleship called the HMS Prince of Wales. 

Destroying German battleships, surviving Italian aircraft attacks, and intercepting Japanese troop convoys are a few of the famous missions performed by the renowned British HMS Prince of Wales battleship. 

It may not seem possible, but the ship was able to accomplish all of these things within less than one year. The HMS Prince of Wales was a King George V-class battleship in the Royal Navy that performed with great success and intensity in WWII before being sunk by Japanese aircraft in 1941, just two days after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

The ship’s notable achievements include successful strikes on the German battleship Bismark during the Battle of the Denmark Strait and withstanding an air attack from Italian aircraft.

The ship was eventually sunk by the Japanese when attempting to intercept Japanese troop convoys off the coast of Malaya. 

About the Author: Kris Osborn 

Kris Osborn is the Military Technology Editor of 19FortyFive and President of Warrior Maven – Center for Military Modernization. Osborn previously served at the Pentagon as a highly qualified expert in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army—Acquisition, Logistics & Technology. Osborn has also worked as an anchor and on-air military specialist at national TV networks. He has appeared as a guest military expert on Fox News, MSNBC, The Military Channel, and The History Channel. He also has a Masters Degree in Comparative Literature from Columbia University.