As part of my work with the Defence Select Committee, it was a pleasure to be able to visit the HMS Prince of Wales in Portsmouth. During the visit, the Defence Select Committee were given a tour of the vessel and received a number of briefs from the Royal Navy on defence and security matters. Given the current Defence Select Committee inquiry, 'Defending Global Britain in a Competitive Age', it was particularly interesting to see and hear first hand about the work of the vessel, its role within the Royal Navy and how it will help deliver the UK's global defence and security aims.
The HMS Prince of Wales is the second vessel of the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers. With an expected service life of 50 years, the Queen Elizabeth-class will be highly versatile and potent joint defence assets, able to meet the widest range of tasks around the world. The Queen Elizabeth-class are adaptable and powerful maritime platforms, ready to deliver carrier strike missions, enforce no-fly zones, deploy Royal Marine Commandos, deliver humanitarian aid, and build international partnerships.
Importantly, the HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales will both also contribute to the UK's global aims going forward as laid out in the Integrated Review - they will help enable the UK to forge new global partnerships, will ensure our Armed Forces can respond to threats anywhere in the world and will help sustain our commitment to collective security beyond the Euro-Atlantic.
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