The Ministry of Defence has confirmed that Royal Navy workers in Portsmouth are preparing HMS Prince of Wales, the navy’s flagship, for a possible deployment to the Middle East. No final decision has been made, but the vessel’s notice to move has been shortened from ten days to five, allowing for quicker mobilisation if required.
If deployed, the aircraft carrier would join HMS Dragon, which is also being sent to the region. The preparations come after US-Israeli airstrikes killed Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and other senior leaders, escalating conflict in the area. An MoD spokesperson emphasised that HMS Prince of Wales could also undertake other planned missions.
The UK has already bolstered its military presence in the Middle East since January, deploying Typhoon and F-35 jets, air defence systems, and an extra 400 personnel to Cyprus. RAF jets have been flying air operations over Jordan, Qatar, and Cyprus to defend British interests. The US has also begun using British bases for specific defensive operations, with B-1 Lancer bombers arriving at RAF Fairford.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has faced criticism from the Conservatives for being slow to respond, but on Thursday announced additional fighter jets would be sent. Two more Wildcat helicopters with drone-busting missiles arrived in Cyprus on Friday, and a Merlin helicopter is being sent for surveillance. The MoD stated that HMS Prince of Wales has always been on very high readiness and that preparations are reducing the time needed to set sail.
British nationals have been evacuated from the region, with a second government-chartered flight landing at Gatwick early on Saturday, bringing the total repatriated from the United Arab Emirates to over 6,500 since the conflict began. The Foreign Office reported that more than 160,000 British nationals have registered their presence in the Middle East.
