HMS Prince of Wales floated for the first time. Credit: Royal Navy.

The British Royal Navy’s second Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier, the future HMS Prince of Wales, has been floated for the first time.

The undocking of the vessel was carried out ahead of schedule after being originally planned later this year.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Premium Insights

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

Related Company Profiles

View all
“The 65,000t navy vessel is currently undergoing fitting out activities in Rosyth, Scotland.”

UK Defence Procurement Minister Harriett Baldwin said: “This is an important moment in the monumental programme to build these two magnificent ships.

“I would like to thank the 10,000 people from across the UK who have helped us make such progress during 2017 on both HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales.”

The 65,000t navy vessel is currently undergoing fitting out activities in Rosyth, Scotland.

Its generators and gas turbines are slated to become operational for the first time by mid-2018.

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

HMS Prince of Wales is scheduled to carry out its sea trials in 2019 with a total of 679 crew members.

The aircraft carrier was officially named during a ceremony in Rosyth in September last year.

Its christening ceremony took place three weeks after HMS Queen Elizabeth first entered its home port of Portsmouth as part of its maiden sea trials programme.

The navy’s Queen Elizabeth-class ships are being built by the Aircraft Carrier Alliance comprising BAE Systems, Babcock, Thales and the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD).