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.