Royal Navy commissions aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales

HMS Prince of Wales, the Royal Navy’s second Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier, was commissioned into service in a ceremony at Portsmouth Naval Base on Tuesday, December 10.

The carrier is powered by four diesel engines and two gas turbines and has a core ship’s company of about 700 plus another 700 aircrew and embarked Royal Marines. It will operate a variety of helicopters and F-35 Lightning II strike fighters.

Prince of Wales‘ commissioning comes less than two months after it was launched into the water for the first time in September. Along with sister ship HMS Queen Elizabeth, which is also currently docked at Portsmouth, it will undergo routine maintenance over the next few weeks before the crew resumes their programmes to reach operational capability.

The vessel is the seventh Royal Navy ship and the first aircraft carrier to be named Prince of Wales.