Royal Navy: HMS Queen Elizabeth back at sea following lengthy time at Rosyth for repairs and upgrades
HMS Queen Elizabeth has officially left dry dock at Rosyth following months of repairs and upgrades due to mechanical fault.
The Royal Navy’s flagship was due to set sail from Portsmouth to the North Sea on Nato's largest mission since The Cold War at the beginning of the year - but a mechanical fault to her propeller shaft coupling was discovered during pre-sail checks back in February. As a result, HMS Prince of Wales took her place in Exercise Steadfast Defender and she headed to Rosyth to be repaired.
The Royal Navy previously confirmed that the fault was caused by "wear and tear". At the time, the Earl of Minto, Conservative member of the House of Lords, said: "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." Responding to a question from Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent, The Earl said a more specific cause for the fault may be found. He added: "I am assured that the carrier which has left to join Steadfast Defender will certainly fulfil its commitments, and that the Queen Elizabeth is on her way to dry dock to find out exactly what is wrong."
She left Portsmouth to head to Rosyth, in Scotland, on March 5 of this year and has been there ever since whilst she undergoes the necessary repairs and upgrades to get her back at sea. Following months of repairs, HMS Queen Elizabeth has ‘completed her defect repair’ and she left the dry dock yesterday (July 20). She will now ‘undergo a period of sea trials’. A Royal Navy spokesperson told the UK Defence Journal: “HMS Queen Elizabeth has completed her defect repair work and capability upgrades at Rosyth and will now undergo a period of sea trials to prepare for future tasking.”