British aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales delayed in Norway by technical fault

One of the UK’s largest warships, the aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, remains docked in Norway after a technical issue extended its stay beyond planned Nato exercises, the British Ministry of Defence confirmed.

The 65,000-tonne vessel, which cost around £3 billion to build, had been scheduled to depart Stavanger’s Mekjarvik port after completing a 10-day Nato training operation in mid-May. Instead, it returned to the port following the discovery of an unspecified “minor technical fault,” defence sources told Navy Lookout.

Repairs have taken longer than initially expected, though a Ministry of Defence spokesperson stated last week that the ship was “expected to put to sea again within days.” Local reports from Stavanger Aftenblad indicate a planned departure on Sunday.

The carrier, capable of hosting up to 72 aircraft—including 36 F-35B fighter jets—and a crew of 678, has faced previous mechanical setbacks. In August 2022, it suffered propeller shaft damage en route to the US, forcing an early return to the UK.