The UK has no plans to use the aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales in the conflict between Ukraine and Russia. This was stated by the Chief of the Defence Staff of the Royal Navy, Admiral Tony Radakin, speaking at the security forum in Singapore “The Shangri-La Dialogue“.
“We have no plans to use our aircraft carrier in a Russian-Ukrainian context. "And I don't think anyone expects the war between Russia and Ukraine to suddenly escalate into something that would force us to use an aircraft carrier," he said in response to a question about reports of the Pentagon's displeasure with London's decision to send HMS Prince of Wales on a month-long mission to the Indo-Pacific amid the war in Europe.
HMS Prince of Wales left Portsmouth on April 22 to lead an aircraft carrier strike group for an eight-month deployment to the Indo-Pacific. According to Radakin, the operation is intended to test the ship's combat capabilities during exercises off the coast of Australia and to send a signal of the power of the British fleet.