HMS Prince of Wales Reaches Oslo for Atlantic Future Forum 2026

Key Points

• HMS Prince of Wales has just made port at Oslo after completing the fast paced part of Firecrest 2026 operations in Arctic and sub-Arctic waters.
• The Portsmouth-based carrier is set to host the Atlantic Future Forum and the International Sea Power Conference next week.
• The operation involved the first ever ammo loading of a Queen Elizabeth-class carrier outside the UK.
• The ship offloaded its ammo at Hammernesodden, in the vicinity of Namsos, some 70 miles to the north of Trondheim.
• It demonstrated that the carrier could continue its operations even without the solid support ship.
• HMS Prince of Wales participated in NATO’s Neptune Strike 26-4 operation with 17 countries, 20 naval ships, and 40 aircraft involved.
• The carrier’s F-35B was involved together with the Norwegian F-35A fighter jets to provide escort to a US B-52 bomber.
• Even the Royal Navy F-35s scrambled to intercept a Russian Tu-95 Bear long-range bomber during the NATO exercise.
• The carrier battle group included HMS Dauntless, HMS St Albans, Norway’s KNM Fridtjof Nansen, a French frigate, and the Norwegian tanker HNoMS Maud.
• General Sir Gwyn Jenkins, First Sea Lord, is heading the Royal Navy participation at the Oslo event.

Wales (Wales Times) November 6, 2026 – HMS Prince of Wales has arrived in Oslo after an intensive fortnight of training in and around Norway, concluding the dynamic phase of the Royal Navy carrier’s 2026 Firecrest deployment. The 65,000-tonne warship is now preparing to serve as the venue for two high-profile defence gatherings: the Atlantic Future Forum and the International Sea Power Conference.

As reported by Ocean News & Technology, edited by Ed Freeman, the carrier’s arrival follows operations designed to strengthen the defence of the North Atlantic, including the strategically important Iceland-Greenland-UK gap. The deployment has focused on operating a fifth-generation aircraft carrier in Arctic and sub-Arctic conditions alongside NATO allies.

The Royal Navy said the carrier, its air group and supporting vessels had demonstrated the alliance’s resolve to protect the Northern Flank. The activities also aimed to prepare for closer integration among allied naval, air and land forces in future operations.

Why Was the Ammunition Load Significant?

A central development of the deployment was HMS Prince of Wales loading ammunition while berthed at the military jetty in Hammernesodden, near Namsos, approximately 70 miles north of Trondheim. According to Ocean News & Technology, this was the first time a Queen Elizabeth-class carrier had taken on ammunition in a non-UK port.

The development matters because it could allow the carrier to continue operations without relying on a solid support ship, such as RFA Fort newport/victoria/">Victoria or one of the future Resurgent-class vessels, for resupply. The report described the move as a step towards expanding the carrier strike group’s warfighting options and operational flexibility.

Norway provided extensive security arrangements for the visit. The country’s Home Guard deployed boats to patrol the fjord, while heavily armed positions were established at the jetty.

How Did NATO Forces Operate Together?

After leaving Hammernesodden, HMS Prince of Wales shifted focus to NATO operations under Neptune Strike 26-4. The exercise brought together the carrier’s F-35B Lightning aircraft from 617 Squadron, known as “The Dambusters”, along with Merlin helicopters from the Commando Helicopter Force and 820 Naval Air Squadron.

Ocean News & Technology reported that Neptune Strike 26-4 was one of NATO’s largest exercises, spanning land, sea and air across a wide geographic area. The fourth iteration of the activity ran from late October and concluded shortly before the carrier’s Oslo arrival.

Seventeen nations took part, committing 20 warships and 40 aircraft. The exercise included three naval task groups: two operating in the Mediterranean under Italian and Turkish leadership, and a third led by HMS Prince of Wales off Norway.

Which Ships Joined the Carrier Group?

The UK flagship was supported by destroyers HMS Dauntless and HMS St Albans, as well as Norway’s frigate KNM Fridtjof Nansen. A French frigate and the Norwegian tanker HNoMS Maud also joined the force.

Earlier in the deployment, HMS Prince of Wales was escorted in more open waters by KNM Fridtjof Nansen. Heavily armed Norwegian Skjold-class corvettes also joined and exercised with the carrier force.

The presence of the multinational naval group attracted Russian attention. Ocean News & Technology reported that HMS Prince of Wales scrambled its F-35 aircraft to intercept a Tu-95 Bear long-range bomber.

What Role Did F-35 Aircraft Play?

The carrier’s F-35B aircraft operated alongside Norwegian Air Force F-35A aircraft during a rare naval-air-power exercise involving the strategic arm of the United States Air Force. The allied fighters escorted a US B-52 bomber as part of the activity.

The F-35B Lightnings also carried out strike training during Neptune Strike 26-4. According to the report, the aircraft practised loading and ultimately dropping live Paveway IV bombs as part of the NATO exercise.

The combination of carrier-based F-35Bs, land-based Norwegian F-35As and US strategic bombers illustrated the integrated air-power approach being tested during the deployment.

What Will Happen in Oslo?

HMS Prince of Wales is berthed at the head of Oslofjord, beneath the historic Akershus Fortress. Next week, the carrier will host events attended by European military and political leaders.

The Atlantic Future Forum and the International Sea Power Conference are intended to bring together defence leaders, industry representatives and policymakers. The stated aim is to discuss the future of Euro-Atlantic security in what the report described as an increasingly dangerous world.

First Sea Lord General Sir Gwyn Jenkins is leading the Royal Navy’s involvement in the Oslo events.

Why Is HMS Prince of Wales Important Now?

Ocean News & Technology described HMS Prince of Wales as the UK’s fully operational front-line carrier. Its sister ship, HMS Queen Elizabeth, is currently working up after an extensive maintenance period.

The report stated that HMS Prince of Wales is at very high readiness to respond to international events should the government require its intervention. The carrier’s recent Arctic and sub-Arctic training, ammunition loading and NATO exercise participation form part of that operational posture.

The Oslo visit concludes the Firecrest deployment, which was divided into spring and autumn phases. The carrier’s presence in the Norwegian capital provides a visible platform for discussions on European security and maritime power.

Background of the Development

The 2026 Firecrest deployment has been structured around operating a fifth-generation aircraft carrier in Arctic and sub-Arctic waters. Its focus has included strengthening the defence of the North Atlantic and the Iceland-Greenland-UK gap, a maritime area often described as strategically important to NATO’s northern flank.

The deployment combined international training, high-end air operations and logistics experimentation. The ammunition load at Hammernesodden was presented as a significant milestone because it tested the carrier’s ability to sustain operations from a non-UK port.

Neptune Strike 26-4 formed a major part of the final phase of the deployment. The exercise brought together naval task groups in the Mediterranean and off Norway, linking carrier aviation, surface ships, allied air forces and strategic bomber operations.

Prediction: How May This Affect European Security?

For European policymakers and defence planners, HMS Prince of Wales’s Oslo visit may reinforce the importance of carrier-based air power in NATO’s northern planning. The ability to load ammunition outside the UK could influence future planning for sustained carrier operations in the North Atlantic and Arctic approaches.

For Norway and other Nordic allies, the deployment demonstrates closer practical cooperation with the Royal Navy. Norwegian escort vessels, Home Guard protection, F-35 operations and joint exercises with the carrier group show an expanding level of operational integration.

For the wider European audience, the Oslo conferences may shape discussion on how Europe and NATO respond to security pressures in the Euro-Atlantic region. The carrier’s high readiness status, as reported by Ocean News & Technology, indicates that the UK intends to maintain a capable naval presence capable of responding to international developments.