UK flagship arrives in Oslo for UK-led international talks on security of northern Europe

The Portsmouth-based warship concluded the dynamic phase of her 2026 Firecrest deployment – which has been focused on operating a fifth-generation aircraft carrier in Arctic and sub-Arctic waters to bolster the defence of the North Atlantic, including the Iceland-Greenland-UK gap – with a series of rapid and varied demanding international training.

The carrier, her air group and her supporting vessels, plus NATO allies, have been demonstrating the current resolve to safeguard the Northern Flank – and paving the way for future even tighter integration.

Firecrest phase 2 has seen an extremely rare exercise for naval air power with the strategic arm of the US Air Force.

The carrier’s F-35Bs took their place alongside Norwegian Air Force land-based variants, F-35As, escorting a US B-52 bomber.

To expand warfighting capabilities and options, HMS Prince of Wales then loaded ammunition while she was at the military jetty in Hammernesodden, near Namsos, about 70 miles north of Trondheim.

It’s the first time a Queen Elizabeth-class carrier has stocked up on ammo in a non-UK port, paving the way for potential operations without a solid support ship as part of the Carrier Strike Group, such as RFA Fort Victoria or one of the future Resurgent-class ships, is unavailable for resupplying.

Our Norwegian allies made tremendous efforts to host the carrier, providing wide-ranging protection courtesy of the country’s Home Guard: boats patrolling the fjord, heavily armed emplacements on the jetty.

And in more open waters, HMS Prince of Wales has been accompanied by Norwegian frigate KNM Fridtjof Nansen acting as escort while, for good measure, heavily-armed Skjold-class corvettes joined – and exercised with – the carrier force.

Upon departing Hammernesodden, HMS Prince of Wales focused on NATO operations, working out her air group – F-35B Lightnings of 617 Squadron ‘The Dambusters’, Merlin helicopters from CHF and 820 NAS – on Neptune Strike 26-4.

It’s one of the alliance’s largest exercises – spread across a vast area and encompassing land, sea and air elements.

The fourth iteration of the workout, straddling the end of October and ending just yesterday, involved 17 nations who committed 20 warships and 40 aircraft, with three naval task groups: two in the Mediterranean under Italy and Turkey, a third under HMS Prince of Wales off Norway.

As well as her escorts HMS Dauntless and the Nansen, the UK’s flagship was joined by frigate HMS St Albans, a French frigate and Norwegian tanker HNoMS Maud.

The presence of such a NATO force drew the attention of the Russians and HMS Prince of Wales scrambled her F-35s to intercept a Tu-195 Bear long-range bomber.

Otherwise, the Lightning IIs have been performing their strike role, practising loading – and ultimately dropping – live Paveway IV bombs as part of the NATO exercise.

The Firecrest deployment – split into spring and autumn phases – concludes with a high-profile visit to the heart of the Norwegian capital and a plum berth at the head of Oslofjord in the shadow of the city’s historic Akershus Fortress.

Next week the 65,000-tonne Portsmouth-based leviathan will serve as the impressive venue for events attended by European military and political leaders: the Atlantic Future Forum and the International Sea Power Conference, with First Sea Lord General Sir Gwyn Jenkins leading the Royal Navy’s involvement.

The goal is to bring defence leaders, industry and policymakers under one roof to discuss the future of Euro-Atlantic security in an increasingly dangerous world.

As the UK’s fully-operational front-line carrier (her older sister HMS Queen Elizabeth is currently working up after an extensive maintenance period), HMS Prince of Wales is at very high readiness to respond to international events should the government require her intervention.