The United Kingdom’s aircraft carrier just completed 22 months of maintenance.

The Royal Navy’s HMS Queen Elizabeth previously served as the flagship of the UK military’s senior service and is now operating in a new role, the command ship of the NATO alliance.

HMS Queen Elizabeth assumed its new role in July, and now will lead the Allied Response Force in upcoming joint exercises that will help prepare alliance members to respond in the event of a crisis in the waters around Europe.

“We’ve returned from summer leave rested and ready for the next phase of our training,” said Captain Claire Thompson, commanding officer of HMS Queen Elizabeth.

“Sailing this autumn is a key milestone for both our NATO commitment, as the Afloat Command Platform and also on our journey back to the Royal Navy’s ‘very high readiness’ aircraft carrier, a duty we will resume from our sister ship HMS Prince of Wales in 2027,” Thompson added. “Sailing with an embarked battle staff, integration and training is essential whilst relearning the skills required to conduct safe and effective aviation as we ensure that we are prepared to deliver operational activity at the heart of NATO should it be required.”

This marks the first time either of the United Kingdom’s two carriers has been the lead ship for NATO.

NATO Members with Aircraft Carriers

Of the 32 members of NATO, only four have aircraft carriers. 

The United Kingdom is the only NATO member, apart from the United States, to operate more than one aircraft carrier. Italy has an aircraft carrier and a helicopter landing dock in service.

Hybrid Carrier Operations

HMS Queen Elizabeth is finally heading back to sea after undergoing a series of repairs over the last 22 months. The refit was the ship’s first since it was commissioned in 2017.

The HMS Queen Elizabeth returns to service as London’s Defence Investment Plan calls for £240 million ($325.2 million) to be directed to support the development of a “Hybrid Carrier Air Wing,” which will consist of jet-powered drones that will operate alongside and even support the F-35B Lightning II fifth-generation fighters that are embarked on the Royal Navy flattops.

The current deployment will help advance the transition to hybrid warfare where unmanned aerial systems (UAS) will complement the manned fighters.

“HMS Queen Elizabeth will undertake advanced training under the Royal Navy’s Flag Officer Sea Training (FOST) organisation, exercising across the full spectrum of modern naval warfare to ensure the carrier is ready to respond to emerging threats,” the Royal Navy said.

Queen Elizabeth-Class Carrier Specifications

• Number in Service: Two (2)
• Length: 932 ft (280 m)
• Beam (Width): 240 ft (73 m)
• Displacement: 65,000 tons
• Engines: Two Rolls-Royce MT30 gas turbine alternators, four Wärtsilä 38 marine diesel engines
• Top Speed: 32 knots (37 mph, 59 km/h); cruising speed 25 knots (29 mph, 46 km/h)
• Range: 10,000 nmi (11,500 mi, 19,000 km)
• Armaments:
  • Three Phalanx CIWS (Close-In Weapon Systems)
  • Four 30mm DS30M Mk2 guns
  • Six Browning .50 caliber heavy machine guns (formerly miniguns)
• Air wing: Up to 36 F-35B Lightning II jets, with a surge capacity for over 70 aircraft, including Merlin, Wildcat, Chinook, and Apache helicopters
• Crew: 679 personnel, with a capacity to accommodate up to 1,600

Are the Problems with the Queen Elizabeth-Class Carriers Corrected?

The current deployment could be a make-or-break moment for the Royal Navy. Both the HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales were left all but dead in the water after they experienced failures with their propeller shafts.

Four years ago, the HMS Prince of Wales was unable to take part in joint exercises with the US Navy after it broke down off the Isle of Wright due to a coupling failure on its starboard propeller shaft. The warship was sidelined for nearly a year while it underwent repairs. The carrier suffered another mechanical issue this past June, requiring unscheduled repairs in Norway.

The issue has been nearly as bad with HMS Queen Elizabeth, as the carrier experienced similar issues with its shafts, resulting in having to miss a large NATO exercise in early 2024.

The carriers have been the subject of debate with British lawmakers since they were built, and there have been repeated calls to mothball one to save money, but given that neither is entirely reliable, it may be why the UK needs two. 

About the Author: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu has contributed to dozens of newspapers, magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org.

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