UK's biggest warship HMS Prince of Wales returns after US deployment

Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales has returned to Portsmouth naval base after her landmark deployment to the east coast of the United States.
Britain's biggest warship has spent the last few months undergoing sea and air trials, including training with American F-35 jets.
Crowds lined Portsmouth's city walls to welcome the sailors home, while almost 3,000 family and friends were on the jetty to be reunited with their loved ones who set sail in September.
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[@robertmiller1299]

It is rare enough these days- but it makes you proud to be British. Thank you!

[@raywhitehead730]

How sad. Really, just believe your your eyes, see any planes on that British carrier. And the entire British fleet of planes that can land on both British carriers is less then 50.

[@Orbital_Inclination]

@@raywhitehead730 No UK jets were required to meet the aims of the trials, and aircraft disembark before returning to port anyway.

[@Dingdangdoo]

Rare because the UK does nothing to be proud of, including building these expensive helicopter pads that will never be fit for purpose.

[@knottymaker3904]

All three British services are in an absolute mess these days. It is a national and world embarressment the state that what was one of the world's best fighting services have plunged to!

[@alanmcmillan6969]

Welcome home!

[@gavinmorgan2611]

She makes it sound like a cruise ship. I hope they remember it’s a warship and safe passage to them all if that time comes ❤

[@billygibson2613]

UK defence strong support for the world good future generations of peace for everyone's There big❤❤

[@makejon-j3w]

MY HOME PORT 👌

[@gloriaanderson8988]

Respect 🙏 u all .never cut bk are army. Spend more. Thank u Ben Wallace for sorting it out x

[@kruxyo3372]

Nice.

[@Orange_Storm24]

Welcome home kiddo ,see you soon

[@jameshunter5485]

Spectacular success.

[@musa7010]

They got more medals on uniform than aircraft on deck 😮

[@omarjassar4650]

WOW , the US is in charge of the British Navy

[@allanirvine7304]

They are in charge of our entire armed forces they basically run nato and they should tbh I have no problem with this

[@rupertrawlings667]

That captain should have refused to take her to sea without anti Missile protection learn form Douglas Bader

[@jontyc3479]

When I was born there was 643 ships in the Royal Navy now there is 79 or thereabouts. Of which 17 are front line fighting ships. Our Royal Navy has been destroyed by successive governments and to hail the return of one of our two aircraft carriers to me is a travesty. Hollowed out so much we have less fighting ships than Belgium who have 20 fighting ships An utter disgrace to see most proberley the most influential Navy's ever in world history reduced to nearly a nearly inconsequential status.

[@furiousscotsman2916]

And one QE carrier with a combat loadout could destroy that entire Belguin navy please DO NOT conflict numbers with combat capability. Navies the WORLD over have gotten smaller including the US navy who have seen a reduction from over 700 to less than 300, ships get more capable and more expensive and because they are more expensive and more capable you get less of them this is just the way things are hgoing, for ALL armed forces all over the world its not a uniquely British thing.

[@cypeman8037]

It’s an expensive hobby sailing boats.

[@Orbital_Inclination]

Our past navy was funded by our empire and the wealth that bought us. When the empire collapsed, we clung onto our imperial mindset despite not really having the money to pay for it. We no longer have that income to fund a large navy, and we also no longer have an empire to patrol. Times change, and a 'back in my day' mentality isn't helpful.

[@davidrobertsemail]

@@furiousscotsman2916this one has zero planes the other doesn’t have enough for a full load out.

[@importantjohn]

We are the 5th most powerful navy in the world. "The Royal Navy remains a highly capable maritime force with over 80 vessels. It operates two Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers, Type 45 guided missile destroyers, Astute-class nuclear-powered attack submarines, and eight nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBN) - maintaining a sea-based nuclear deterrent. The Royal Navy showcases sophisticated naval technology including the Type 997 Artisan 3D radar and Sea Ceptor air defense system. Britain’s naval strength enables it to maintain a presence far beyond Europe."

[@NogHenson]

In one piece??

[@glynnwadeson5605]

Wouldn’t it be a good idea to have carriers with a full complement of aircraft, ideally our own, rather than US ones. Wonder if anyone else thought of that?

[@archangel0137]

True true!

[@davidrobertsemail]

An aircraft carrier without planes is like a Lamborghini without an engine.

[@ysts3452]

besides lockheed who can build stealth jet, maybe chinese there is only us option for navy jet many countries can afford to make powerpoint or model plane rather than industrial real one

[@FelixIsMyName]

This was a test and evaulaution deployment and the joint testing centre for the F-35 is over in the US. From what I have seen, the number of F-35's the UK now has is much improved, but it's still some time away until both carriers and the F-35 are fully operational for all the tasks we need. QE goes into refit at the end of '24 , so it will be interesting to see how things are around the end of the decade.

[@davidrobertsemail]

@@FelixIsMyNameboth carriers will never have a full complement of planes. There will only be enough for one carrier.

[@raywhitehead730]

Hardly a deployment, to America. See any planes on the Prince? Even so the entire British fleet of airplane s that can land on both British carriers is less then 50.

[@Orbital_Inclination]

It was for air trials with dedicated test airframes which carry an array of sensors not found on production F-35s. No UK jets were needed to achieve the aims of the trials, so none were embarked. The UK currently has around 40 F-35B, with more on order, awaiting production by Lockheed Martin. Not sure where people expect us to pull extra jets from when the production line can only turn out so many and there's a lot of orders to fill.

[@AA-xo9uw]

@@Orbital_Inclination As reported by the CEO of Lockheed Martin UK Paul Livingston back in December of 2022, the UK is refusing to exercise its options and accept delivery of current production lot F-35Bs due to lack of money. The UK could have had received all 48 of the F-35Bs it has ordered a long time ago if it had the money, which it does not. The UK is also delaying purchase of the A400 and E-7 due to lack of money.

[@Orbital_Inclination]

@@AA-xo9uw this is incorrect. F-35 order time lines were set out ages ago, and the MOD have no need to bring those dates forward. The 48 will arrive by the end of the year as planned. As for E-7, all airframes have already been purchased and conversion work is well under way. The into service date has been pushed back, but we haven't delayed buying any E-7s. That is categorically false. We currently operate 22 A400M, which is all we ordered. Again, stop making stuff up.

[@BrenThen4367]

I LIKED THE BIT WHERE COASTGUARD ESCORTS WERE THERE TO STOP THE BOATS 🤭🤭🤭

[@stevebarlow3154]

They are nothing to do with HM Coastguard, but belong to the King's Harbour Master and the Ministry of Defence Marine Police Unit.

[@BrenThen4367]

@@stevebarlow3154 👍

[@cypeman8037]

Has it returned for a new propeller, rudder, potatoes or anything else trivial?

[@admiralmallard7500]

No, it's been on a 3 month deployment

[@garand999]

There's a lot of taxpayer money there !

[@Dingdangdoo]

Britain is not important in the world anymore and building 2 carriers and not enough planes to go on them just stinks of desperation and trying to be relevant. Tier 2.

[@timphillips9954]

Calling the Americans allies is pushing it a bit!

[@aa-up4sf]

Not like we have a choice is it

[@timphillips9954]

@@aa-up4sf but we have it is called the Commonwealth with people that have a true identy and common values, history and trust.

[@Richard-zw9sl]

???

[@erickarch169]

Shame on you mate!

[@maccymac]

Not a single jet on deck. Embarrassing.

[@JaneGalvin]

Carriers Don’t come into Home port with Aircraft on 😂😂😂😂. Stop talking about stuff you Clearly know nothing About.

[@davidrobertsemail]

@@JaneGalvinthis one left the US with no planes. Sailed across the Atlantic with no planes and sailed in to port with no planes. It’s an AIRCRAFT carrier with no planes.

[@Orbital_Inclination]

​@@davidrobertsemailgive it a rest. Why would they embark aircraft for a deployment that didn't require them? That wastes personnel, increases costs and maintenance, and reduces the number in the UK that could conduct useful training. It is a carrier with aircraft, but they only embark when actually needed, like any sensible individual would understand.

[@davidrobertsemail]

@@Orbital_Inclinationeach carrier carries 36 planes but we only have 27 or so in the UK between two carriers and apparently the RAF is supposed to share them as well. It’s a joke. Add that to the lack of surface ship’s required to protect a carrier and no early warning defense aircraft the whole program is a white elephant. I don’t care what you say aircraft carriers are supposed to have planes.

[@davidrobertsemail]

@@JaneGalvinit’s got no planes!

[@BIBIWCICC]

Broken down again and requires millions to fix!

[@Orbital_Inclination]

No, just returning following a successful deployment

[@thomassmithUTUBE]

BIG WASTE TAXPAYER MONEY! USE MONEY FOR SUPPORTING NHS INSTEAD !!

[@admiralmallard7500]

The cost of this carrier would run the NHS for less than a day

[@MichaelKng-fk5jk]

Zero confidence, a Commander with zero operational experience during a rich environment, NI as Naval in this late years, nothing like them giving knowledge to our Army anti drug operations they'd distain to, means nothing, a desk job!. No actual combat experience during a Hugely rich combat time involving the majority of the UK military but, bypassing this he's lots of medals. gifted. Is this really the top of UK military Naval Power - NO.

[@Orbital_Inclination]

This is incoherent