The HMS Queen Elizabeth, the Royal Navy’s flagship aircraft carrier, has had to withdraw from the major NATO exercise Steadfast Defender 2024. The forceful exit from the exercise is due to a propeller shaft problem that came to light during the final checks.
The large-scale NATO exercise, named Operation Steadfast Defender, is scheduled to take place from February to the end of May and is anticipated to be the first exercise where new defense plans are put into action. The HMS Queen Elizabeth and its sister ship, the HMS Prince of Wales, were constructed between 2009 and 2018 to replace the Ark Royal and Illustrious, ships built during the 1970s and 1980s. There were no carriers in the Royal Navy for a period of time, and the new ships have experienced a series of mechanical problems since their commissioning.
In 2022, the Prince of Wales faced a breakdown off the Isle of Wight as it prepared to participate in joint exercises with the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marines, and the Royal Canadian Navy. It experienced a malfunction with its starboard propeller and had to be replaced by the Queen Elizabeth. Now, the Prince of Wales has been called upon to replace the flagship in the Steadfast Defender exercise.
The HMS Queen Elizabeth was set to sail from Portsmouth for the exercise, but a coupling issue was identified during routine pre-sailing checks. Vice Adm. Andrew Burns announced that the HMS Prince of Wales will take the Queen Elizabeth’s place in the NATO exercise and will set sail as soon as possible. The Prince of Wales will lead a carrier strike group of eight ships, including the frigate HMS Somerset, two Tide-class tankers, and vessels from the U.S., Spain, and Denmark.
The issue with the starboard propeller shaft of the Queen Elizabeth is said to be separate and not linked to the previous defect on the Prince of Wales. The Ministry of Defence states that the ship’s propeller shafts are made from three sections connected using shaft couplings, which hold them together. The Steadfast Defender exercise aims to demonstrate NATO’s ability to conduct and sustain complex multi-domain operations over several months. It will show the alliance’s unity, strength, and determination to protect each other and the international order.