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| The UK HMS Prince of Wales Carrier Is Damaged |
London - The British Navy's HMS Prince of Wales aircraft carrier suffered damage off the south coast. It happened shortly after he sailed to the United States on an important mission.
A Navy spokesman said HMS Prince of Wales had a mechanical problem. The damage is being investigated. The £3 billion carrier, which was only fully operational last year, is reportedly docked southeast of the Isle of Wight while an investigation into the damage is underway.
"HMS Prince of Wales remains at the South Coast Training Area while an investigation into the mechanical problem has arisen," a Royal Navy spokesman said. The issue was first reported by the UK Defense Journal, an online news site focused on defense issues, which cited unconfirmed reports of damage to the right propeller shaft. Another defense news website, Navy Lookout, said the 65,000-ton carrier suffered significant technical damage. , as quoted by Sky News, Monday (29/8/2022).
The carrier had previously sailed from Portsmouth for what the British Royal Navy described as a mission to shape the future of stealth jet and drone operations off the coast of North America and in the Caribbean. The cruise is set to visit New York, Halifax in Canada and the Caribbean, operating a fifth-generation F-35 stealth fighter from deck as well as a drone.
The ship's commander, Captain Richard Hewitt, said in a statement to mark departure and before mechanical failure emerged: "Bringing the HMS Prince of Wales task force across the Atlantic for the remainder of the year will not only push the boundaries of British carrier operations, but will strengthen relations our close work with our closest allies.
From operating F-35 Lightnings and drones to hosting the Atlantic Future Forum, none of this would have been possible without the extraordinary efforts of the sailors on board, many of whom were in their first deployments with the Royal Navy.
HMS Prince of Wales, who heads the carrier task group, was deployed with frigates, tankers, as well as helicopter and drone air groups.