HMS Prince of Wales (R09), a Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier that serves as the fleet flagship of the British Royal Navy, is one of largest and most advanced commissioned in the United Kingdom.

Designed to launch aircraft from anywhere in the world, the Prince of Wales was designed to operate short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) aircraft such as F-35B Lighting II stealth fighters.

The carrier measures 284 meters bow-to-stern, with a displacement of over 65,000 tons. Its 280 meter flight deck is 70 meters wide, accommodating the wingspan of multiple aircraft.

She can carry up to 36 F-35Bs and four medium-lift Merlin helicopters, which enable the carrier's crew to conduct a variety of stealth, strike, penetration, rescue and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions.

The US-made F-35B is the only fifth-generation fighter with STOVL capabilities, allowing it to take off from makeshift runways, the decks of ships and the most austere conditions.

Slightly reduced fuel capacity makes space for a vertical lift fan inside the aircraft, which can generate over 9,000kg of thrust.

Stealth fighter of choice

The F-35, which includes the F-35A and F-35C variants, is NATO's fighter jet of choice. As of March, 14 countries in the alliance either have F-35s or have them on order, with the United Kingdom a leader in stealth fighter aircraft experience.

The high F-35B capacity of the HMS Prince of Wales allows the carrier to conduct extensive operations over vast swathes of sea and air for long periods of time.

All F-35B aircraft can be refueled using the probe-and-drogue system. Tests of the aircraft have seen success refueling the aircraft at 3km, 4.5km and 6km, at speeds ranging from 200 to 250 knots.

Aerial refueling enables pilots to remain airborne for extended missions, reach distant targets without landing and adapt swiftly to changing operational demands.

In addition to the F-35B fleet, the HMS Prince of Wales is operationally flexible and able to transport and house over 250 Royal Marines with concomitant attack helicopters and troop transport rotorcraft such as the Chinook.

A March training exercise fostering interoperability across the Royal Air Force (RAF) and Royal Navy saw the RAF's CH-47 Chinook helicopters achieve embarkation qualifications aboard the HMS Prince of Wales.

This qualification demonstrates the high level of force cohesion and operational flexibility across the British Armed Forces.

The US-made Chinook is an advanced, multimission heavy-lift helicopter that can transport troops and essential equipment and conduct operations across domains.

Its compatibility with HMS Prince of Wales only serves to enhance the amphibious operations it can perform.