The departure of the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth lead the biggest NATO The Cold War-era exercise was canceled at the last minute after a “problem” with a propeller shaft was spotted during final checks.
Setback comes 18 months after sister ship HMS Prince of Wales broke down off the Isle of Wight after a similar malfunction with a coupling on the starboard propeller which prevented her from participating in exercises with the US Navy and a delay of nine months before operational commissioning.
The newer of two £3bn UK projects aircraft carrier will now be ready to replace the fleet’s flagship during NATO exercises, which are expected to involve more than 40 ships.
Vice Admiral Andrew Burns, Fleet Commander, said: “Routine pre-departure checks yesterday identified a problem with a coupling on the starboard propeller shaft of HMS Queen Elizabeth. The ship will therefore not sail on Sunday.
“HMS Prince of Wales will take her place in NATO duties and set sail for Exercise Steadfast Defender as soon as possible.”
HMS Prince of Wales broke down while en route to a diplomatic mission to conduct exercises with the US Navy, Royal Canadian Navy and US Marine Corps.
The carrier came to rest off the Isle of Wight and was towed to port for the problem to be identified.
Inspections by divers and engineers revealed that the ship’s 33-ton starboard propeller was malfunctioning and the coupling holding it in place had broken.
Separate issues
A Ministry of Defense spokesperson said the problem on HMS Queen Elizabeth was “separate and unrelated” to the earlier fault on its sister ship.
The spokesperson said: “The issue identified relates to the vessel’s shaft couplings. The ship’s propeller shafts are too large to be made from a single piece of metal. Each shaft therefore consists of three sections connected using shaft couplings which connect the shaft sections together.
HMS Queen Elizabeth was to lead a strike group of eight ships – four of them British, including the frigate HMS Somerset and two Tide-class tankers from the Royal Fleet Auxiliary – supported by American, Spanish and Danish ships.
On board were F-35B Lightning stealth fighters from 617 ‘Dambusters’ Squadron, based at RAF Marham, Norfolk, Merlin Mk2 airborne submarine hunting and early warning helicopters from RNAS Culdrose, and Wildcat helicopters from battlefield of 847 Naval Air Squadron, RNAS Yeovilton. .
HMS Prince of Wales will now take the lead in NATO’s Exercise Steadfast Defender, which will take place off the Norwegian Arctic coast in March.
Announcing the carrier’s departure, Commodore James Blackmore, Commander, UK Carrier Strike Group, said: “The Steadfast Defender demonstrates the unity of the alliance, our commitment to it – and the fact that the United Kingdom continues to play a leading role within NATO.
“The exercise allows us to train with our neighbors in a really challenging environment, especially at this time of year – but that’s why we have to operate up there; the weather cannot discourage us.
Before heading to the Arctic, the Carrier Strike Group was due to take part in the annual Joint Warrior exercise off the coast of northern Scotland before joining Exercise Nordic Response – the maritime part of Steadfast Defender.
The decommissioning of HMS Queen Elizabeth could affect the Royal Navy’s ability to deploy an aircraft carrier to the Red Sea, amid a continuing threat from Iran-backed Houthi rebels, which Forces Minister James Heappey said armies, suggested considering.
