Live: HMS Prince of Wales to set sail from Portsmouth for F-35 trials

[@F-Man]

Fair winds and following seas, HMS Prince of Wales Greetings from the USA

[@dianeford6046]

Good luck Oliver on your first deployment. We are so proud of you and to all the sailors from Fisher 21/22 deployed on the Prince of Wales ❤

[@borisboris2985]

Good to see the many patriotic comments on here, safe journey Prince of Wales and all who sail in you 🇬🇧

[@Hope-c3t-s4s]

Good luck to my big brother H and to all , we’re all so proud of you all , safe journey x

[@jammer3618]

Safe journey. God bless you Brits. I know we can count on you. From an American friend

[@MyScotty7]

We the 🇬🇧 and 🇺🇸 need each other more now then ever. Safe sailing

[@user-sk4sw4go2t]

Great job boys......providing an invaluable service to the parents,families and loved ones who can't be there to wave them off. Many thanks .

[@Hope-c3t-s4s]

My big brothers first deployment xx

[@Roblovesbushcraft]

My sons as well 😊

[@hitman456]

Fair winds and following seas from America!!! U.S. Navy veteran. 1980-1994.

[@andrewgrassi2878]

Loads of love to our son Matthew Grassi, it's been hard and dedicated work , we are so proud of you. See you in December.

[@heathercoulson5115]

Big shout out to my grandson Jamie on his first deployment

[@brianwoodhouse9911]

GREAT JOB GUYS, TOP DRAWER COVERAGE AND COMMENTARY, THANK YOU, AND SAFE TRIP HMS PoW

[@nigelmansfield3011]

God speed and good luck!

[@IreneBatter]

Loads of love to my grandson Kieran. So proud of you have a safe journey xx

[@JuliaHooper-v1y]

Good luck Billy on your deployment with the Royal Navy…very proud of you❤️

[@daveoaf]

Good luck boys , hopefully your AA cover is up to date and not needed

[@scottgutzler6456]

Best wishes from across the pond PoW

[@philchristmas4071]

Beautiful ship friends. 🇺🇸🤝🇬🇧

[@mikeybabes7527]

Big shout out to our Brothers and Sisters across the pond!! Good friends and great allies. Nice to see HMS Prince Of Wales fully repaired and on her way to visit the USA. God speed and hoping all return safe and well. Much love From Nottingham 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇺🇸🇬🇧

[@joem8736]

We need more Royal Navy ships. Build More. Watching from Chicago, IL USA

[@MyScotty7]

We are constantly building war ships but we need more.

[@StewartWalker-hy1eo]

We have a government that made these carriers stovl and invest billions in foreign countries to make themselves better off but the UK worse off

[@Roblovesbushcraft]

Good luck James, seaman specialist from a proud Mum & Dad

[@davem9208]

I visited Portsmouth from Walsall on 1/9/23, and saw both of the carriers close up. Good timing by me.

[@ClaireClarke-b8b]

Good Luck to my son Adam and the rest of the crew, safe travels xx

[@mpersad]

Here's to a very successful deployment for all! Proud moment.

[@NR-rv8rz]

Feels like this thing is a tenth of the way through its service life and still don't have a full compliment of jets.

[@fenderac3049]

Correction, the Uk's oldest ally is Portugal not the USA. The Portuguese have been an ally of the UK for 650 years, long before the USA was even thought of!!

[@MyScotty7]

Very true indeed

[@thespiritphoenix3798]

Yeah but the alliance is hardly respected otherwise the UK would never have pressured the Portuguese over the Pink Map affair and the Portuguese would have joined the UK in the Second World War. The alliance really isn't relevant in today's world unlike the UK-USA Alliance

[@Pete_Finch]

It may be a bit weird, but I'm American and watch pretty much all the content Forces News puts out

[@paulcharlton6015]

So nice to see

[@derekgalia]

Safe deployment to HMS Princes of Wales and crew from Gibraltar 🇬🇮

[@JCStaling]

I would love for the Royal Navy to be as great as she once was. But this will NEVER happen again.

[@johnbobson1557]

But that country doesn't exist anymore. Since WW2 the nation has been dismantled I fear.

[@nigelpilgrim4232]

@@johnbobson1557 Something has to change !!! We were more capable in the 1960s & 70s then even Now !! Our Army alone in 1965 we had nearly 180,000 troops including officers !! Many times we could be called for the unexpected !! The cold war with the russians was always an alert so even now they incaded Ukraine ! & it does not make sense keep cutting teoop numbers !! We were just about to make big defence cuts just before 1982 i when the Falklands islands conflict war kicked off so that was another reason not to !! & we had to reverse the cuts which were just about to happen !! Troop numbers have kept being depleted !! Its criminal !! Even with technology its no excuse !! If technology fails us we have no back up !! The US spend the most on dsfence conventional & technology but they still have big troop numbers !!!

[@JCStaling]

@@nigelpilgrim4232 you are entirely correct but the decline is humiliating nonetheless.

[@drscopeify]

Seeing a full deck of F-35s will be a sight to see. That is some serious power projection.

[@nigecracknell8139]

Safe voyage to all the ships company.

[@jamescraig9065]

I'm ex Navy wish I was with you.Fair Winds

[@RJAH355]

How about use it for people who paid for it and park it in the channel to stop foreign invaders from getting to see shores.

[@Zenzensounds-123]

Good luck to our dylan leigh davis and the rest of the crew see ya in December son love dad san kids 💙

[@DrawnInk1]

Beautiful

[@drewcanton235]

"Breaking new ground', more like "making new waves" on this mission... 😁

[@markwoods1504]

Fair Winds & Following Seas HMS Prince of Wales, I do hope the Scottish Shipyard has paid for your repairs after their bad workmanship in the first place, that's the problem when you only use one shipyard for shipbuilding our naval ships. The MOD and BAE Systems have forgotten we've got other shipyards around the UK !!!!!!!!!!

[@IanL-f4n]

Good luck my son Ryan's first deployment.

[@carltontweedle5724]

The trials should be taking of from the carrier and landing at PORT STANLEY in the FALKLANDS. Just on the off chance somebody may be watching. I was there in 82 on RFA OLNA. Time to show the FLAG and some BALLS.

[@Bimboysize15]

Are her Phalanx systems installed? I cant see them so far.

[@grahamives5480]

safe journey to all you lucky sailors.

[@60isthenew21]

Safe trip , very proud of you all

[@alisoningham8184]

fair winds and following seas xxx

[@calanmacleod3948]

Hope the tugs are going to follow, at a discreet distance.

[@jimfield3023]

An what time did it leave I missed it

[@phil20_20]

🇬🇧🇺🇸🇬🇧🇺🇸🇬🇧🇺🇸🇬🇧🇺🇸

[@admiralmallard7500]

Fantastic

[@1chish]

It will be good to see the Bedford Array finally being used and F-35s coming in on SRVL. Fair winds and safe seas PoW.

[@sandervanderkammen9230]

A pity she carries no British aircraft..

[@JayJayBee76]

See yeh soon H 👍🏻

[@timothynorris7984]

BON VOYAGE

[@abrahamdozer6273]

BZ Prince of Wales!

[@robertdrinkall8947]

It's being leased to the yanks, USAF F35's & pilots plus ground crew. Sadly the UK can't find the cash to buy planes for it or pay the operating costs.☹️

[@markcooke5270]

I thought it had been delayed by a week 😊

[@haveyaseenmiwhippet9069]

Let hope they don't run it aground again.

[@romeo9017]

Twice around Drakes Island and then back in time tea and oggies with no planes

[@peterlloyd8313]

If you knew anything you would know Drakes Island is in Plymouth not Portsmouth.

[@BALOYBEACHBUM]

Look the 2 Headed Monster!!

[@michaelperkins5746]

ANY CIWS ON THS CARRIER

[@mikeharland3358]

Thank goodness there have got her out of the Harbour. Do we have the capability to defend both carriers at once? Where and how are we going to use them. Watching The Ukraine war can she defend her self against a mass of drones? Are they already out of date?

[@erbayakin6894]

by patriotic comments ?what do you mean? brand new aircraft carrier spent 9months for repairs????some one has to anserable tota payers uestions in defense ministry ?how much spent on repairs on hat sort of repairs??etc deplorable ☹️

[@helmethead72]

35 million quid and for a mistake akin to Nelson leaving port with sails.

[@perryedwards4746]

Pip Pip!

[@grahamthebaronhesketh.]

Keep away from the rocks, stay in deep water.

[@admiralmallard7500]

Yes fingers crossed

[@carlosreyes207]

REMEMBERING , THE " Q.E. - I I , " " HER MAJESTY'S , " STRATEGIC EMERGENCY RESPONSE FLEET . " AND EXTENSION AND AN EXPANSION OF , " HER MAJESTY , " " QUEEN ELIZABETH THE SECOND ," " BRITISH ROYAL NAVY . . . " TO BE REMEMBERED ALWAYS AND IN MEMORY OF , " HER MAJESTY , " " QUEEN ELIZABETH THE SECOND " " APRIL 21 , 1926 " - " SEPTEMBER 08 , 2022 " " 2023 " -- THANK YOU --

[@paulgibbons2320]

Some Arab goat herders are in for a rough time when this gets up to speed.

[@johnhewitt8784]

I don't see any oars!

[@Southernersontour]

Hi we see you on Tuesday nice to see you l was filming for my new Channel Southerners on Tour if you could give me a shout out will be putting a new video soon of HMS Queen Elizabeth.

[@fredfungalspore]

Captain Pugwash signing off 🦴💀

[@raycollins6338]

Could not see her CWIS! Are they not installed?

[@davedonn1109]

Just what i was thinking Ray...They were fitted....Must have been removed for this trip....Cant think why.

[@AA-xo9uw]

CIWS

[@TheLastCrumb.]

Ah the cricket bat

[@fireabend_1226]

congrats maids

[@MonkeyGus]

Take two.... Action!

[@davidjackson8829]

Sink some dinghies on the way. Once islamification is complete there will be no more of these.

[@Roblovesbushcraft]

Shouldn't be too long now

[@davidjackson8829]

Want those monkeys are in power those ships will be scrapped. End of Royal Navy, end of an era

[@JusticeAlways]

Which war are they scheduled to fight in?

[@admiralmallard7500]

They're off to trial new aircraft and train

[@abrahamdozer6273]

The one that takes us all by surprise.

[@helmethead72]

Whichever one the US government tells them.

[@jasonshenton7680]

when will she be fitted with the falanx?

[@jasonshenton7680]

@@cj64343 I don't see any! only the tree on HMS QE1

[@muizza2841]

👍❗ 🚢☘️🛫☘️

[@flickthenick]

Is it working now?

[@flickthenick]

@@cj64343 I was being a tad ironic seeing all the time, work and taxes have been spent on this over a very long time though maybe I was being a bit too subtle...

[@robertwren8878]

Lots of sailors but no stationed planes oh but hang on a moment a helecopter! Whoo! That was amazing Tim,Thankyou! 2 aircraft carriers with no planes. Just an observation of power!

[@AndyH2023.]

They don’t keep planes on the carrier while in port they will join the ship out at sea so your comment is stupid!

[@Benjd0]

God this comment gets so old, they aren't going to land their F-35s on a carrier in the middle of Portsmouth...

[@helmethead72]

Where are they going to get them from…EBay?

[@nigelpilgrim4232]

Who said they aint got planes !! Queen Elizabeth carrier has got f35 stealth jets !! Prince William has been held up being repaired !! It will be having jets on soon but its having more sea trails & trails with the jets gradually !!!👌

[@peterlloyd8313]

​@@helmethead72Too many thick people like you post on here. Planes always embark and disembark a carrier before entering/leaving there home port.

[@davidb1565]

All the Best Prince of Wales. Please try not to drop any of those pricey planes in the sea like your sister did eh. That was quite the whoopsie 😂.

[@monsieurfoupierre]

jelly copters but no hair-o-planes

[@dan8031]

They normally join them at sea

[@harriergr7728]

Pity there wasn’t a F-35 on the ski jump, but I guess the Americans were too busy to send one.

[@Benjd0]

Yeah they're not going to land a squadron of jets on the carrier while it's sitting in the middle of Portsmouth. They join the ship while at sea.

[@tomhermens7698]

Think how many school roofs, nurses, Jr doctors, teachers etc you could pay with this. And.... we got two of these things!!! Why???

[@richardspears349]

Pity the cameras were searching the sky for the prince of wales! Did the cameraman not know it was a very large ship and was on the sea not in the air? Saw more clouds than ship! Focus also rubbish!!! 37:17

[@OCS-vr7my]

Drone trials, not f-35.

[@AA-xo9uw]

Incorrect. The boat still requires SRVL certification. 'Pushing the boundaries will see more advanced take-off and landing techniques tested, allowing the F-35s to return to the carrier faster and heavier (i.e with more fuel and weapons aboard) which cuts the time between sorties, allowing the ship to launch more strike missions, faster. HMS Prince of Wales will also be looking to launch and land the Lightning jets in the heaviest sea states, proving that they can operate the jets in the harshest environments. “My team are really excited to tackle the final phase of testing which will expand the F-35’s awesome capabilities even more - and to be the first to land and launch new types of drones on our deck. The deck team are ready and raring to go,” said Commander Martin Russell, in charge of HMS Prince of Wales’ air group and flight deck operations. Once the work with the F-35s is complete, focus will shift again to the next-generation of Short Take-Off and Landing drones currently under development. The Mojave drone can carry a 1,500lb payload of missiles, rockets or bombs and has been specifically designed to land and take-off from short runways, or flight decks. Trials are lined up to see whether the Mojave can land on the 901ft-long deck of the Prince of Wales. The carrier’s stint Stateside will conclude by expanding the US Marine Corps’ unique tilt-rotor MV-22 Ospreys operating limits. The Ospreys are used to transport troops and kit into battle. Expanding the ship’s operating limits for all of these aircraft over the deployment will allow even greater capacity for joint operations in the future, culminating in HMS Prince of Wales’ global deployment in 2025.' "HMS Prince of Wales heads to USA to shape future of naval aviation", Royal Navy, 01 September 2023

[@OCS-vr7my]

@@AA-xo9uw they’re just taking the f-35s out because the have to, trust me. This is all about drones. That’s where the focus is, that’s where the government knows the future lies

[@AA-xo9uw]

@@OCS-vr7my Incorrect, yet again.

[@OCS-vr7my]

@@AA-xo9uw dude, I literally work with these jets. You don’t have a clue

[@grahamellis6029]

So proud of all the armed forces,but it's a pity we are not going to fit these aircraft carriers with a full complement of f35 .

[@peterlloyd8313]

We have 37 how many do you want to pay for.

[@grahamellis6029]

@@peterlloyd8313 if you build a 2 65,000 ton carriers then 37 isn't enough,we may as well built something the size of the invisible class of ship instead.

[@HappyBear376]

Fat Amy is a lovely aircraft how many do we have, two?

[@Retrosicotte]

33

[@comitatus5337]

Can someone please explain this British fixation with ramp launching? It's 2023 , all that money spent! Even the French have cat launchers . Surely the ramp restricts load out choices and aircraft type. Can something like a turboprop EW plane take off on these flat tops? Not an expert just asking.

[@admiralmallard7500]

Well we've had 30 years experience with them with the previous carriers, while ideally we would've returned to catapult launches, there is currently no reliable system for this. Charle de gaulle uses steam from its nuclear reactors but as a conventional ship these don't have that steam available. There is an electromagnetic system in use by the US but so far its been fairly temperamental. So we stuck with what we knew. We do have airline radar in the form of helicopters

[@timmurphy5541]

Ramps give the F-35B more carrying capacity at the cost of some deck space - they're directly compensating for one of the F-35B's weaknesses and are very clever. Why did we choose the F-35b? ....that's the thing that's debatable. We were replacing the Harrier which has that short takeoff ability and there are scenarios where that is useful on the land as well as at sea for operating from austere, temporary bases close to the fighting. So for a country which cannot buy some of everything there may be value in getting some of the most flexible thing.

[@1chish]

@@cj64343 Sorry Caleb the reason these carriers are STOVL is because that is how they were designed right after the first iterations. If we needed CATOBAR aircraft we could have bought F-35Cs. We did assess that situation in 2010 as QE was under build but neither EMALS or EMCATS could provide delivery, performance or cost guarantees. So we stayed STOVL and we dodged a mighty big bullet by doing so. Ask the US Navy about the USS Ford costing $18 Bn while QE cost $5 Bn.

[@1chish]

Its not a fixation it was a hard nosed decision made facing the reality that these are electric ships, so produce no steam and therefore steam catapults were not an option. Given there are no strategic or tactical advantage to nuclear powered carriers, they cost huge amounts of money and 5,000 crew we stayed with what we know and have proven is effective - STOVL. As shown in 1982. Yes its 2023 and our two carriers cost $10 Bn. The latest US Navy carrier (USS Gerald R Ford) cost $18 Bn and its EMALS catapults still do not work. The ship has done one crossing of the Atlantic and return since being launched the same time as HMS Queen Elizabeth which has crossed the Atlantic 6 times and been to the Pacific and back. Yes all that money very well spent and showing great value. The French have ONE carrier which uses steam catapults. It also spends 50% of its life in dry dock and the French Navy only some 38 Rafale Ms to operate off that carrier. The ramp does not require special aircraft as long as they can reach required airspeed off the ramp but landings need vertical thrust of some sort. The F-35s go off with 22,000 Ibs weapon load (aka beast mode) and even CATOBAR aircraft have weight limits.

[@davidhouseman4328]

It's not a fixation, it's just a choice. Theres arguments for and against. The bigger your navy the more they lean toward cats. As a medium size navy, it's a close decision. Prior experience, notably from the Falklands, did have an influence.

[@paulcharlton6015]

What frigate accompanying her on deployment

[@admiralmallard7500]

Will have to see once she's at sea

[@alun7006]

The US our oldest allies? Not even close.

[@VanderlyndenJengold]

A gay acquaintance of mine once claimed, through a gay navy man, that navy tradition stipulates that when out of sight of land everyone becomes gay. I think it was wishful thinking on his part!

[@abrahamdozer6273]

Ummmmmm, no.

[@geoffwilliams1025]

He or she lives in the land of the fairys im afraid.

[@nyttag7830]

Will this garbage ever be operational 😫

[@1chish]

And another armchair know nothing keyboard hero adds yet more ignorance. Its a 70,000 ton supercarrier capable of delivering 60 5th Gen aircraft. THAT is not 'garbage'. And it was operational for over two years before the coupling failed. 🤡🤡

[@1chish]

@@cj64343 Those are peacetime numbers being 2 or 3 Squadrons (when Lockheed Martin deliver all our aircraft that is) but the 60 is the surge number as stated by the first seagoing skipper now retired Admiral Jerry Kyd. YT doesn't like links but there is an RN published deck parking plan showing 43 aircraft on deck and operational flying still going on. I think the hangar can take 20 but I may be wrong.

[@1chish]

@@cj64343 43 is not odd at all. It was simply the number of aircraft parked on deck and all were F-35s as that was the deck parking plan. Plus the 20 in the hangar as I suggested. More could be parked on the rear of the flight deck if flying ops used STOVL rather than SRVL retrievals. Again numbers being quoted in RN websites are peacetime / exercise numbers. We can throw variations of aircraft about to suit ourselves but I will just take what Captain Kyd stated when he was asked in the USA during Westlant18 how many F-35s could be carried.

[@1chish]

@@cj64343 HMS Queen Elizabeth flight deck parking, as per a chart from 'Flyco' is available on Reddit. Sadly YT would delete my reply if I posted it. But a simple Google asking "Deck parking plans for HMS Queen Elizabeth" will show the image amongst others. There are 41 F-35B parking spots (plus the 4 on the lifts). I said 43 as one lift would have to remain operational. As for the rest of your comment I think we are getting way past the original point.

[@joeoria4497]

bye bye boys see you next week when you come back for repairs..the wife said it must be terrible for the wives and kids of the sailors when they leave port..I said yes but on the other hand it must be heaven for the sailors 😂😂😂

[@admiralmallard7500]

She's fixed