Jets land on HMS Prince of Wales ahead of Nato exercises

Fighter jets have landed on HMS Prince of Wales as it heads to join the largest Nato exercise since the Cold War.

The Royal Navy carrier departed from Portsmouth on Monday 12 February.

It is replacing HMS Queen Elizabeth for Exercise Steadfast Defender off Norway and is currently in the North Sea.

F-35B Lightning jets from the RAF and Royal Navy 617 "Dambusters" Squadron, based at RAF Marham, in Norfolk, landed on the 65,000-tonne warship.

The carrier previously carried out exercises with F-35B jets during a visit to the eastern US in autumn 2023.

The warship sailed from Portsmouth at short notice after its sister ship HMS Queen Elizabeth had to cancel its departure after last-minute checks found an issue with its starboard propeller coupling.

HMS Prince of Wales will head a UK Carrier Strike Group for the exercise which, along with the jets, will include 11 helicopters,

It will also include Royal Navy escort ships and support vessels from the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, including frigate HMS Portland and tanker RFA Tidesurge.

A Royal Navy spokesman said: "It will lead an international taskforce taking part in Steadfast Defender - an exercise across multiple regions and domains from land and sea to air and space.

"Spanning several months and thousands of kilometres, it will see tens of thousands of personnel work together to showcase Nato's ability to deter enemies and defend allied territory."

Capt Colin McGannity, carrier air wing and strike warfare commander, said: "It is always an exciting moment when F-35B Lightning join the Carrier Strike Group at sea.

"It's winter in the north Atlantic and we will face harsh weather and freezing conditions, but we are well prepared and looking forward to demonstrating our readiness to fight, whenever and wherever we get the call."

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