UK’s £3.5bn flagship aircraft carrier breaks down again ahead of key deployment

Britain’s flagship aircraft carrier has broken down once more as the government continues to drag its heels on defence spending. HMS Prince of Wales, the Royal Navy’s £3.5billion statement warship, has been plagued by issues since entering service in 2019.

The ship, which is set to travel to the United States as part of the country’s commemorations of its 250th anniversary, was forced to dock at a port in Norway after a “technical fault” was detected, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) said. Earlier this month, HMS Prince of Wales set sail from Loch Long, Argyll and Bute, Scotland, for Nordic waters to provide security in the Atlantic and High North regions.

“A minor technical issue” was identified on the Royal Navy’s most powerful vessel during its latest stop in Stavanger, a port city in south-western Norway, the MOD said.

The aircraft carrier is expected to sail in the coming days, the ministry added.

An MOD spokesperson said: “HMS Prince of Wales is currently conducting a port visit to Stavanger as part of the Carrier Strike Group’s deployment across the North Atlantic and Arctic, we expect her to set sail in the coming days.”

The ship, which is generally based in Portsmouth, was joined by Type 45 destroyer HMS Duncan and tanker RFA (Royal Fleet Auxiliary) Tidespring on its way to Nordic waters.

It has worked with NATO and the Joint Expeditionary Force throughout the deployment.

HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Queen Elizabeth are the largest and most powerful vessels ever constructed for the Royal Navy.

HMS Prince of Wales weighs 65,000 tonnes, and has a top speed in excess of 25 knots per hour and a range of 10,000 nautical miles.

It can carry up to 72 aircraft, including a maximum of 36 F-35B fighter jets, and has an expected service life of up to 50 years, according to the Royal Navy.

The ship can operate on a crew of 678, but can accommodate up to 1,600 people.

The latest fault comes as ministers prepare to release the long-awaited Defence Investment Plan (DIP), nearly a year after it was first promised.

The plan, which will set out how the military will fund radical changes to the way it operates over the coming decade, has been delayed since last year because of a stand-off within the Cabinet over costs, according to sources.

Speaking during a visit to drone manufacturer Stark in Swindon on Friday, Sir Keir Starmer said the investment plan would provide the cash for the “capability” outlined in last year’s Strategic Defence Review.

In a speech during the visit, the Prime Minister said: “That is the plan that says here’s the money that goes with the capability.

“We bring the two together, and it is another step up, it is another increase in spending, but it is necessary, it’s the right thing to do to defend our country.”

Sir Keir later added: “That will now be published before the NATO summit, which is in just a few weeks’ time.”