By Olivia Devereux-evans For Mailonline
Published: 13:07 EDT, 4 February 2022 | Updated: 17:17 EDT, 4 February 2022
Crowds today welcomed the HMS Prince of Wales back to Portsmouth as it returned to its base.
HMS Prince of Wales, a 65,000-tonne Royal Navy aircraft carrier, is back at Portsmouth Naval Base but remains on high alert to respond to the crisis in Ukraine.
Boris Johnson made the announcement earlier this week that the ship is on high alert to be deployed in response to the ongoing crisis in eastern Europe as part of a wider UK military contribution to support Ukraine.
Mr Johnson said in a statement released by Downing Street: 'It is on standby to move within hours should tensions rise further.'
HMS Prince of Wales is back at Portsmouth Naval Base but remains on high alert to respond to the crisis in Ukraine. Pictured: The boat returning to the naval base today
HMS Prince of Wales became a command ship for NATO's Maritime High Readiness Force on 11 January, in a ceremony held at Portsmouth Naval Base.
The UK has taken over from France to run the NATO task force which is formed to deal with major global incidents.
The task force will be run for the next 12 months by Commander UK Strike Force - the most senior sea-going staff of the Royal Navy headed by Rear Admiral Mike Utley.
The Royal Navy aircraft carrier became a command ship for NATO's Maritime High Readiness Force on 11 January, in a ceremony held at Portsmouth Naval Base. Pictured: Well-wishers welcome the boat back to the harbour at Portsmouth today
HMS Prince of Wales had been completing a period of Norwegian-led at-sea exercises after it left the harbour on January 12.
According to Hampshire Live, No.27 Squadron of the Royal Air Force, Chinooks from RAF Odiham took part in exercises on the ship.
There were also Wildcats from the 825 Air Naval Squadron exercising on the boat at the same time.
The vessel's at-sea exercises came as Russia last month deployed 100k troops and heavy weapons near Ukraine's border while demanding that Nato rules out admitting the former Soviet state or advancing into what it sees as its backyard.
The vessel's at-sea exercises came as Russia last month deployed 100k troops and heavy weapons near Ukraine's border while demanding that Nato rules out admitting the former Soviet state or advancing into what it sees as its backyard. Pictured: Russian troops take part in drills
HMS Prince of Wales' commanding officer, Captain Steve Higham, last month acknowledged the political stand-off, saying his crew 'absolutely recognised the challenge posed by Russia' and will be ready to respond if necessary. Pictured: The ship arriving back into Portsmouth Naval Base today
HMS Prince of Wales' commanding officer, Captain Steve Higham, last month acknowledged the political stand-off, saying his crew 'absolutely recognised the challenge posed by Russia' and will be ready to respond if necessary.
Capt Higham told The News: 'We have got our orders loud and clear - we've got to be ready to respond and we will be.
'The great advantage for us is that we will be working with partners and allies from across the Nato alliance and that strength in depth is what gives us the real edge.'
Commenting on the vessel's departure, he said: 'This year, as the Nato command ship, we will spend over 200 days at sea operating globally with our allies.'
A navy spokesman said: 'As well as a test of the battle staff, it will be the first test of HMS Prince of Wales since the carrier was declared fully operational at the beginning of autumn following two intensive years of trials and training.'
The carrier is 900ft long and has a crew of 1,600 and is based at Portsmouth after it was formally commissioned in December 2019.
Alongside its sister ship HMS Queen Elizabeth, the vessel makes up part of the UK's Carrier Strike Group designated CSG21.
Pictured: Merlin helicopters from the 820 Naval Air Squadron, RNAS Culdrose, depart from the HMS Queen Elizabeth flight deck in January 2020
Pictured: The Queen Elizabeth class features HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales
A graphic shows how the Queen Elizabeth class of carriers - which includes two vessels; the HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales - can produce 500 tonnes of fresh water from sea water daily
The HMS Prince of Wales has more than 28,000 rashers of bacon on board the aircraft carrier, as well as 12,000 tins of beans
The carriers can be pressed into action for various work such as high intensity war fighting or providing humanitarian aid and disaster relief.
However, the ship has been beset with technical problems and was stranded in Portsmouth in December 2020 after sea water poured into the vessel's engine room for more than 24 hours and damaged the electrics.
The vessel was banned from setting sail until repairs were made, with defence minister Jeremy Quin revealing the fix would cost £3.3million.
Pictured: The Royal Navy aircraft carrier leaves Portsmouth Harbour on January 12, 2022
People wave goodbye to the ship and photograph it as it leaves the harbour on January 12, 2022 (pictured)
It marked the second leak for the 65,000-tonne ship in less than a year.
The engine room had already been flooded to the depth of 3ft during a leak in May 2020.
Later, it was revealed that the carrier had spent just 87 days at sea during its first two years in service.
HMS Queen Elizabeth also suffered leaks in 2017 and 2019, with the former costing several million pounds to repair.
Cost: £3.3 billion. Originally £3billion, various faults and repairs drove up the cost.
Dimensions: More than 900ft (280m) long and 230ft (70m) wide, with four-acre flight decks big enough for almost three full-size football pitches.
Speed: Top speed of 28 mph. Capable of travelling 500 miles a day.
Fighter jets: Capacity for 36 F35-B Lightning II fighter jets. The jets can be lifted from the below-deck hangar to the deck in just 60 seconds.
Weapons: Weapon system capable of firing 3,000 rounds per minute.
Radars: Long-range radars can track up to 1,000 aerial targets from up to 250 nautical miles away.
Type 997 Artisan 3D medium range radars can track a target the size of a snooker ball from a distance of 12 miles.
In May 2020, the Royal Navy launched an investigation after a pipe leaked on HMS Prince of Wales and caused an ankle-high flood.
The leak was said to have taken place on the carrier while it was at Portsmouth Naval Base.
A video later posted on Facebook showed water gushing through the ceiling and flooding an entire room of the warship.
It is understood that the pipe was isolated quickly and the water was soon mopped up by the crew on board.
The Royal Navy later said it was testing its safety systems including the deployment of life rafts and emergency chutes following the flood.
A Royal Navy spokesman said at the time: 'Following a minor issue with an internal system on HMS Prince of Wales, the ship's company were required to remove a small volume of water from the ship.
'An investigation into the cause is now under way but this will not affect the ship's programme.'
Then, in December that year another leak occurred, with a Royal Navy spokesman saying: 'HMS Prince of Wales is alongside at HMNB Portsmouth conducting repairs following a flood in an engine room.
'The ship's company are getting ready to sail for further training and trials in 2021.'
More than 100 sailors were forced to leave the ship and spend the night on HMS Queen Elizabeth after the aircraft carrier suffered a power cut in Portsmouth harbour in 2019.
HMS Prince of Wales is scheduled to spend a period at its home base in Portsmouth before departing again next month to take part in an international exercise off Norway.
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