HMS PRINCE OF WALES DEPARTING PORTSMOUTH
Pictured: Familys waving from round tower
Britain’s biggest warship sails today on the 1st September for her autumn deployment – her longest yet. Image: MOD Crown Copyright 2023 

Britain’s biggest warship set sail on the 1st September for her autumn deployment – her longest yet, pushing the limits of aircraft carrier operations with drones, fifth-generation stealth fighters, tilt-rotors and helicopters.

HMS Prince of Wales departs Portsmouth for the Eastern Seaboard of the USA to revolutionise the way the Royal Navy operates Carrier Strike Groups.

Before departing to the USA the ship’s company will conduct trials with UK-firm W Autonomous Systems to assess the feasibility of drones delivering supplies to Royal Navy vessels at sea – initially flying in up to 100kg of stores.

Once in the USA, the ship will embark F-35B stealth fighters for the final phase of pushing the boundaries of the UK’s fifth-generation jets’ operating limits from the carrier.