After inspections uncovered a defect with her starboard propeller shaft coupling, the decision was made for HMS Queen Elizabeth to head to Rosyth for repair work.

According to a statement by Minister of State, Ministry of Defence, The Earl of Minto:

“My Lords, the Royal Navy continues to meet its operational commitments, both at home and abroad. Having two aircraft carriers means that HMS “Prince of Wales” has quickly prepared to deploy in place of HMS “Queen Elizabeth”. She has sailed from Portsmouth this afternoon to join the NATO exercise Steadfast Defender.

Following initial investigations, HMS “Queen Elizabeth” will be required to sail for Rosyth in Scotland to undergo repairs for an issue with her starboard propeller shaft coupling, which will be carried out in due course. Her issue is not the same as that experienced by HMS “Prince of Wales” back in 2022.”

HMS Queen Elizabeth had been expected to depart from Portsmouth Naval Base for Exercise Steadfast Defender involving more than 40 vessels off the coast of Norway but was replaced by HMS Prince of Wales.

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Lisa has a degree in Media & Communication from Glasgow Caledonian University and works with industry news, sifting through press releases in addition to moderating website comments.
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Frank
Frank
8 months ago

What ?….. She’s actually still in Port….. no signs of life…. not actually even awake…… how can she be currently heading to Scotland ????? i’m really confused by this Article to be honest…..

Phil Chadwick
Phil Chadwick
8 months ago
Reply to  Frank

‘She’s actually still in Port….. no signs of life…. not actually even awake……’

Well, she is in Port and she IS actually awake, with a crew onboard, and she’ll soon be heading to Scotland for repairs. Does this answer your question?

Frank
Frank
8 months ago
Reply to  Phil Chadwick

No mate …. The article says she is heading for Scotland….. she;s not though….. Shes clearly still in Pompey…… Your point is ?

Phil Chadwick
Phil Chadwick
8 months ago
Reply to  Frank

Don’t panic Mr Mainwaring!!!! She’ll be sailing for Rosyth soon. Stay tuned!

Frank
Frank
8 months ago
Reply to  Phil Chadwick

Well in that case, i’ll stay tuned then ….. It’ll be interesting to see what the headline will be .

Arson Fire
Arson Fire
8 months ago
Reply to  Phil Chadwick

Hahahahaha

Jonathan legg
Jonathan legg
8 months ago
Reply to  Phil Chadwick

How do I keep tabs on where she is at any time? Is there an app? I ask because I’d like to take my kids to the Forth road bridge to see it.

Phil Chadwick
Phil Chadwick
8 months ago
Reply to  Phil Chadwick

You have a White Ensign as your profile pic. That could indicate that you are either currently serving in the RN or you have left at some point. Or you are one of those annoying armchair Admiral civvies that comment without engaging the Mk1 brain first. I hope it is the former. Either way, you should know better than to type like a four year old..

Keith
Keith
8 months ago
Reply to  Frank

The words say, “she HAS sailed”. Not the same as she will sail!

Junior
Junior
8 months ago
Reply to  Frank

You have misread the article as the main subject is The Prince of Wales which has sailed for Scotland. QE2 is the sub subject and is mentioned in another paragraph of the item.

Spyinthesky
Spyinthesky
8 months ago
Reply to  Frank

I think you are taking it too literally, for that phrase can also mean that she ‘will be heading to Scotland for repairs shortly’. The English language is a little flexible in that way, rightly or wrongly.

maurice10
maurice10
8 months ago
Reply to  Spyinthesky

Whether she is in port or out this just might end up being a premature refit, if so, QE will be gone for months.

ABCRodney
ABCRodney
8 months ago
Reply to  maurice10

It’s due later this year anyway so pulling it forwards may actually be a good thing.

Frank
Frank
8 months ago
Reply to  Spyinthesky

POW CSG heading to Indian ocean……. I get it !

Deedee
Deedee
8 months ago
Reply to  Spyinthesky

She HAS sailed. Past tense.
No she HAS NOT.
another government falsehood!

George Allison
8 months ago
Reply to  Deedee

What?

Ronald Garwood
Ronald Garwood
8 months ago
Reply to  Phil Chadwick

Why don’t they install such facilities in Portsmouth as it appears that’s where She lives

Tony
Tony
8 months ago
Reply to  Frank

I’m heading to Northumberland.
Currently sitting in my home watching TV but that doesn’t mean that I’m not heading to Northumberland at some point.

DaSaint
DaSaint
8 months ago
Reply to  Frank

Article didn’t say that she’s currently in transit, just that she’s heading to Scotland, which she will be. When she is.

Spyinthesky
Spyinthesky
8 months ago
Reply to  DaSaint

Exactly, I can understand those where English isn’t their first language being confused by that phrase, but when it is I really don’t get it, it’s used all the time in the sense of it being imminent mixed with confirming that is what the plan is. Anyway why make such a fuss over such a trivial matter when we all know what it means just the timing is at issue,

Frank
Frank
8 months ago
Reply to  DaSaint

Which she wasn’t as she was still in Pompey but yes, I get that interpretation too.

Redshift
Redshift
8 months ago
Reply to  Frank

” Heading to” can mean “is travelling to” or “will soon be traveling to” as in

Wife : “I’m heading to the airport”.

Husband : “Have a safe journey”.

Wife : Leaves house, closed door behind her and starts to head to the airport.

Stop looking for faults that aren’t there.

Read the article it is plain that she is about to go and not currently going.

Spyinthesky
Spyinthesky
8 months ago
Reply to  Redshift

Yup explains it perfectly, English doesn’t have strict rules like some other languages.

Frank
Frank
8 months ago
Reply to  Redshift

“stop looking for faults that aren’t there”…. OK dad, thanks….. 😄

Redshift
Redshift
8 months ago
Reply to  Frank

Well son/daughter/offspring you could always try taking an English comprehension course to aid you with you future comments.

Jeanette
Jeanette
8 months ago
Reply to  Frank

What they saw sailing was the Prince of Wales

Nigel Collins
Nigel Collins
8 months ago
Reply to  Frank

They forgot to transfer the F-35s over judging by the attached picture. Let’s hope she arrives before POW leaves!

Can you imagine the uproar on here with the naysayers slating the lack of available aircraft onboard for the deployment 😂

Last edited 8 months ago by Nigel Collins
Nigel Collins
Nigel Collins
8 months ago
Reply to  Nigel Collins

HMS Prince Of Wales departing from Portsmouth with horns and different lead tug 4K
https://

youtube.com/watch?v=q76kGDqtejI

Frank
Frank
8 months ago
Reply to  Nigel Collins

If I were to be honest, I think a picture of her as she is in Portsmouth, together with the title “Aircraft Carrier will be heading to Scotland for repairs” might have been more accurate and there would have been no need for others to give me a lesson in how the English language actually works….. 😃 But at least I’m educated now 😎

Nigel Collins
Nigel Collins
8 months ago
Reply to  Frank

Thank God it’s not Mandarin or one of the other dialects 😂 YET 😂
I nearly typed Daleks instead of dialects 😜

Lee John fursman
Lee John fursman
8 months ago
Reply to  Nigel Collins

You could have bee exterminated 😁

Nigel Collins
Nigel Collins
8 months ago

😂

Lee John fursman
Lee John fursman
8 months ago
Reply to  Frank

Cheer up mate there are plenty worse of than us 👍

Lee John fursman
Lee John fursman
8 months ago
Reply to  Frank

Cheer up mate there are plenty worse off than us 👍

Jonathan
Jonathan
8 months ago
Reply to  Frank

It is a headline not a sentence…it was missing the verb needed to make it a sentence and actually describe what the ship was doing or not doing.
….or so my 10 year old has told me 🤣😂🤣…..21c children and their prissy middle class education…in my day ( the 1970s) we had proper education…which had given up on stupid things like grammar and was more focused on soldering and making wooden tables.

Last edited 8 months ago by Jonathan
geoff
geoff
8 months ago
Reply to  Jonathan

Hello Jonathan. I hope you are well squire. I would not diminish the value of practical education at all, but English is a rich language partly because it is open to change but also because some rules are important. We don’t want to end up like our American cousins, talking about a bunch of stuff or their frequent use of the double negative to completely destroy the intended meaning.
We don’t need no education? 🙂
Cheers from a frightfully humid Durban in the Colony of Natal

Frank
Frank
8 months ago
Reply to  geoff

Lol…. You gotta love the Americans …ya’ll

Lee John fursman
Lee John fursman
8 months ago
Reply to  geoff

I live in Italy and didn’t even know that English was still spoken in dear old England.

Nick Cole
Nick Cole
8 months ago

Perhaps it means ‘going to be heading….’. Towed or otherwise! Those propellers and drive train seem to be a bit of an achilles heel.

Hugo
Hugo
8 months ago
Reply to  Nick Cole

The left prop still works. And it’s nowhere near as big am issue as Pwls had. Just have to replace the coupling.

Nick Cole
Nick Cole
8 months ago
Reply to  Hugo

I also wonder if it is related to the prop issue they had when doing sea trials.

Hugo
Hugo
8 months ago
Reply to  Nick Cole

I’ve only heard about corrosion so far.

FormerUSAF
FormerUSAF
8 months ago
Reply to  Hugo

Materials science or maintenance issue? Does corrosion in one coupling portend corrosion in any/all prop shaft couplings on both carriers? If corrosion developed increased in a linear fashion from 2017 to 2924 could replacement become a preventative maintenance procedure w/ every scheduled refit? Propulsion issues would seem to be reasonably important for a warship, rather like the Daring class. 🤔

FormerUSAF
FormerUSAF
8 months ago
Reply to  FormerUSAF

Delete ‘increased’ in third sentence. 🙄

FormerUSAF
FormerUSAF
8 months ago
Reply to  FormerUSAF

Er…2024…🙄

Frank
Frank
8 months ago
Reply to  FormerUSAF

😂

Nick Cole
Nick Cole
8 months ago
Reply to  Hugo

That repair was taken underwater from recollection? If it is corrosion then perhaps a failure of the gland seals or the external joints? Since it seems not to be a shaft issue perhaps the structure of the props themselves?

Bob
Bob
8 months ago
Reply to  Hugo

Not same issue! So expecting coupling to go on Pwls after not too long then.

Phil Chadwick
Phil Chadwick
8 months ago
Reply to  Nick Cole

Nonsense. They are exceptional Carriers, and, as this is still in the very early stages in their service lives, teething problems can happen. You forget that HMS Queen Elizabeth has already deployed for seven months in 2021 very successfully and has been very active since 2017! 

Marc
Marc
8 months ago
Reply to  Phil Chadwick

Totally agree , well needed ships too
The french carrier has been back in dry dock again needing boilers replacing , it also had propeller problems when first put in service , she spent 2 years in dry dock back in 2016 , needing work doing on it nuclear systems ,
This ship has had a very troubled life ,
And rarely goes fare now , mainly staying in the med when it works ,
Big lizzy already done more in its short life

AlexS
AlexS
8 months ago
Reply to  Phil Chadwick

One more reason for it to be detected on time.

Robin
Robin
8 months ago
Reply to  Phil Chadwick

Useless concept to build non nuclear powered ships. Take out the supply ships and you are dead in the water.
Teething problems with propshafts buried deep in a vessel shouid never happen. Major QA/QC failure. Inexcusable work by complacent and corrupt contractors.

Last edited 8 months ago by Robin
Nick Cole
Nick Cole
8 months ago
Reply to  Phil Chadwick

Where does ‘nonsense’ come from? Did I say anything about exceptionability? Did I make accusations about failures or anything? All systems have bits that wear out and need maintenance. Of course they do, I was merely musing about possible causes or points of failure. Nothing to do with ‘nonsense’! Though the fact that QE has propellor problems is rather odd since these are supposedly relatively standard items for large ships. Once is not unreasonable but twice?

Eric
Eric
8 months ago

This is an out rage. What am I paying my taxe’s for. I hope there shall be an enquiry into this fiasco. Billions and billions down the drain. A shambolic embarrassment

Chris
Chris
8 months ago

This wouldn’t have happened had we invested correctly and had ship builders that were proud of their workmanship! Imagine if this had happened during the Falklands conflict, we’d be a laughing stock and Margaret Thatcher would have been weal-ding her sword at the persons responsible!

Ian
Ian
8 months ago

I’ve noticed that any comments on the efficacy and readiness of RN ships are being redacted on this medium.
The British public cannot be fooled when multi billion pound products of our shipyards spend so much time in port for remedial work.

George Allison
8 months ago
Reply to  Ian

No theyre not, calm down.

Exroyal.
Exroyal.
8 months ago

If they are dry docking her 10,11, 12 of March would look most likely.

Paul42
Paul42
8 months ago
Reply to  Exroyal.

I imagine they’ll be wanting to get her in ASAP.

ABCRodney
ABCRodney
8 months ago
Reply to  Paul42

They can’t due to the fundamental and irreversible limitation Rosyth has. We are saddled with Rosyth and access is dictated by the Tides Exroyal is 100% correct in what he says it’s just the plain truth. To get a QE into Rosyth it’s like threading through a movable eye of a needle and it’s all dictate by the lunar tides. It’s very tight to get then in under even the best of conditions and you need the lowest possible tide to get under the 3 Bridges and then the Maximum High Tide to get over the Dock lip and into… Read more »

Exroyal.
Exroyal.
8 months ago
Reply to  ABCRodney

The other factor which cannot be predicted of course, at least not this far out is wind speed. So the tides may align but if the wind blows you could be waiting another month.

Deepsleeves
Deepsleeves
8 months ago

What a complete and total waste of my and every other taxpayers money 💰

Drew murrY
Drew murrY
8 months ago

Are the shafts out of alignment that’s the major question.ive never liked the idea of a ship being built in different yards,then assembled like a jigsaw puzzle

AlexS
AlexS
8 months ago
Reply to  Drew murrY

Ships build in more than one shipyards is made all over the world with no issues.
That was not the problem with QE class.

Jim
Jim
8 months ago
Reply to  Drew murrY

Even if it’s was assembled in the same yard it would be built in bits like a jigsaw puzzle.

I don’t think anyone has laid a keel for a ship and built it up since the 70’s.

ABCRodney
ABCRodney
8 months ago
Reply to  Jim

Jim the T31 build is very close to being exactly that. They lay down the keel sections and then work upwards.

Stephen
Stephen
8 months ago

Why these two haven’t been built with pods which would have saved vibrations of shafts, done away with rudders and give higher mobility

Johno
Johno
8 months ago

Why on earth did we trust the Scots to build a warship for the UK.
They can’t even build ferries !!

Peter S
Peter S
8 months ago

Is there a problem with such a large ship relying on 2 shaft propulsion? The CdG, also with two shaft arrangement, had had propeller problems. US carriers all have 4 shaft propulsion.

Iain
Iain
8 months ago
Reply to  Peter S

Twice as many couplings to go wrong for the US then?
In this instance, since she won’t be making any sprints to land aircraft, they will just run with the single shaft. She already has twice as many as most general merchant vessels. Many supertankers only have a single shaft and they are far bigger, they just go far slower.

Peter S
Peter S
8 months ago
Reply to  Iain

I did search for reports of propulsion coupling issues in other carriers but couldn’t find anything. I do know it took a long time to clear twin engined passenger jets to undertake long over ocean flights. Four engines were seen as necessary to provide safety margins in case of a failure.
Obviously not a direct safety issue with warships but the failure of a single coupling renders the vessel incapable of full operations.

Fen Tiger
Fen Tiger
8 months ago
Reply to  Peter S

Clearance of twin aircraft ( EROPS which became ETOPS) was not only a matter of technical reliability. It was a combined Tech/Ops matter and I believe Monarch were the first UK Operator to be cleared Transatlantic. Apologies for thread drift, but I was there’.

propellerman
propellerman
8 months ago
Reply to  Peter S

The propeller shaft and intermediate shaft are connected by a hydraulic clamp coupling instead of conventional flanges – its basically two tapered sleeves that slide over ech other and the outer one crushes the inner one onto the two shafts and clamps them together and of course transmits the rotational power. Being a torque transmitter it will be checked periodically for any movement/corrosion or any sign that the clamping force may not be maintained. I would expect that to replace it you have to pull the propeller and propeller shaft backwards to uninstall the coupling and take it apart –… Read more »

AlexS
AlexS
8 months ago
Reply to  Peter S

The power per shaft in US carriers is higher going by wiki values. 48MW per shaft vs 36MW.

Michael Muller
Michael Muller
8 months ago
Reply to  AlexS

Us carriers must be better built They spend much if their time working at sea projecting power. Our 2 so called carriers cost twice as much, spend most of their time in harbour and and more than half of that in a dry Dock for repairs. It was mad to build them down to a cheap?price and DIESEL POWERED which requires refuelling at least weekly requiring at least 2 refuelling ships following them whereas nusclar powered ships run for years without refuelling. And no refuelling ships escorting them. We have not had a navy since Margaret Thatchers time. We could… Read more »

Peter S
Peter S
8 months ago
Reply to  AlexS

They are certainly capable of sustained high speed.

ABCRodney
ABCRodney
8 months ago
Reply to  AlexS

It’s not just the power being transmitted but the torque. The QE’s are driven by Electric Motors not Geared Stram Turbines.

AlexS
AlexS
8 months ago
Reply to  ABCRodney

Do you have information on that?

ABCRodney
ABCRodney
8 months ago
Reply to  AlexS

Pretty simple take a look when a Tesla accelerates. It’s just a sudden surge of instantaneous power rather than a build up of power.

John
John
8 months ago
Pipkin45
Pipkin45
8 months ago

Is there anymore news on the report that the Australian navy are going to buy 16 Hunter Class Frigates, 8 standard anti-submarine warfare variants and 8 up-gunned variants

Jack.
Jack.
8 months ago
Reply to  Pipkin45

Just got this on the local Oz ABC:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-02-12/controversial-british-hunter-class-warship-program-survives/103454004

mentions speculation of more hunters (‘several’) in batches beyond 6… and that the platform may also replace the Anzac’s and maybe AWD too so that might be the total numbers part

Announcment next week

monkey spanker
monkey spanker
8 months ago
Reply to  Pipkin45

Last I heard there was talk of purchasing less. All speculation I think. Until the design is sorted out and the build is progressing along I don’t think a decision on some further modified variants to enter service in the coming decades is needed quickly.
If it turns out it’s a good ship that still meets the requirements of 20 years time then it’s a good idea to stick with it.
Now where is the U.K. announcement of a further batch of 8 ships. Dreaming😂😂

J c
J c
8 months ago

Oh give it a couple more years and the home office will be trying to convert the Aircraft carriers to cross Channel migrant ferries. Whilst they carry out repairs will they be painting the deck in a nice rainbow colour to tick a diversity box.

geoff
geoff
8 months ago

On a point of nitpicking, I was wondering why the Earl of Minto found it necessary to enclose the names of the two carriers in inverted commas?

John
John
8 months ago
Reply to  geoff

Before they are name changed. HMS “Rainbow” and HMS Transinclusive” are favourites.

geoff
geoff
8 months ago
Reply to  John

😉

Raz
Raz
8 months ago

Well great a different defect than PoW. Doesn’t inspire confidence in our shipbuilders.

A.harris
A.harris
8 months ago

We new QE was comming back to the port of Rosyth ,6 weeks ago when they started dredging
the channel in it only time it gets done, we also know that it exactly the same problem the POW had with its couplings corrosion .can this Government ever tell the truth that when the hulls where laid the engines where miss aligned and constantly leaking.stop the b/s evry dock yard worker knows the truth you imberceils

ABCRodney
ABCRodney
8 months ago
Reply to  A.harris

Sorry to call you out but as the QE is electric powered and the generators are deliberately sited elsewhere you my friend are talking absolute cobblers. Miss aligned engines ! They are connected by HV cables via Switch rooms and could be mounted upside down for all the difference it would make. The main engines are RR MT 30 Gas Turbines and mounted in the sponsons under the twin islands, the MTU DG sets are right down in the hull. You plainly know absolutely nothing about how they work. Oh and FYI as Babcock have a contract to maintain the… Read more »

Tom
Tom
8 months ago

To be honest here, I’m not really shore why some folk are getting a bit aggy about spellin, gramarr and stuff, and weather the QE boat thang has sailed to sidi barrani or wherever yet.

I fought that the real issue was, yet more trouble with bits on British carriers nausing up, having to be replaced, and having to travel a long ways away, to get things fixed.

Don’t they have Parcelforce in Scottish Land?

steve
steve
8 months ago

What you going to do with your willie waving toys once Scotland goes independent ?

George Allison
8 months ago
Reply to  steve

Hi Steve, who is that addressed to?

steve
steve
8 months ago
Reply to  George Allison

the Brits.

Angus Cromar-Brooks
Angus Cromar-Brooks
8 months ago

Westminster incompetence has to be fixed by the best marine engineers in the world. Scotland the one in front ( 1st )
You know the Story never trust a tory
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Lang Mae Yer Lum Reek 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

George Allison
8 months ago

Angus, do you know where these ships were built?

steve
steve
8 months ago
Reply to  George Allison

They were built in various yards around the British isles and assembled in Scotland, did you have a point that you’re very poorly trying to make ?

John cairney
John cairney
7 months ago

When exactly will queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier arrive at Rosyth

George Allison
7 months ago
Reply to  John cairney

She’s there now.

John cairney
John cairney
7 months ago

When will the queen Elizabeth Aircraft carrier arrive in rostyh

John cairney
John cairney
7 months ago

I will love to go see this when she comes to Scotland