The second of two new Royal Navy aircraft carriers, HMS Prince of Wales, has reached a milestone in her program with the arrival of her first dedicated senior naval officer, Captain Ian Groom, on May 23, 2016.
As the title of senior naval officer suggests, Captain Groom is the Royal Navy’s man in charge of the construction phase for HMS Prince of Wales.
In a role akin to that of ‘commanding officer’ of the ship as she develops through her build in Rosyth, Captain Groom is responsible for leading the ship’s company as they learn about the ship and understand how they will operate her in the not too distant future.
On joining the ship, and taking over the reins from Captain Simon Petitt, Captain Groom said: “It is a true honour to have been selected for this role. Today marks a proud moment in my naval career as I assume responsibility for the rapidly growing Ship’s Company of HMS Prince of Wales. I am delighted to join at such an exciting time and be part of such a professional and dedicated team.”
Talking about his ship’s company, Captain Groom said: “My team’s role is to work alongside the Aircraft Carrier Alliance to help commission the ship and, just as importantly, work closely with the Ship’s Company of HMS Queen Elizabeth to draw on their experience and learn from them first hand; together we will develop and hone the capability of these great ships.”