In a setback for the Royal Navy, the HMS Queen Elizabeth will not be able to participate in the upcoming NATO exercises off Norway's Arctic coast. The aircraft carrier, which was set to lead the largest NATO exercises since the Cold War, encountered a problem with its propeller during final checks.

As a result of this unforeseen issue, the HMS Queen Elizabeth will be replaced by the HMS Prince of Wales. Interestingly, this change of plans mirrors a previous incident in August 2022 when the Prince of Wales experienced propeller problems and had to be towed back to port, with the HMS Queen Elizabeth taking its place in training exercises with the United States and Canada off North America.

The propeller problem comes as a second setback for the Royal Navy within a short span of three weeks. Earlier, a collision occurred between two warships, the HMS Chiddingfold and the HMS Bangor, in a harbor in Bahrain. While the collision caused damage to the vessels, thankfully, no injuries were reported. Military officials are currently investigating the cause of this incident.

The absence of the HMS Queen Elizabeth may have implications beyond the NATO exercises. The Royal Navy had plans to deploy an aircraft to the Red Sea, where tensions have been escalating with Iran-backed Houthi rebels targeting cargo ships in the vital waterways connecting Asia with Europe and the U.S. Armed forces minister James Heappey had suggested this deployment, but with the carrier sidelined, it remains uncertain if this plan can be realized.

Meanwhile, the HMS Prince of Wales will take charge of Exercise Steadfast Defender, leading a carrier strike involving a total of eight ships. This includes four British vessels along with ships from the United States, Spain, and Denmark. The exercise aims to ensure readiness and interoperability among the participating nations.

As the Royal Navy addresses these challenges, it is evident that the importance of maintaining and ensuring the operational readiness of its naval assets remains a top priority. Efforts will be made to rectify the propeller problem on the HMS Queen Elizabeth and further investigations will be carried out regarding the recent collision, while the HMS Prince of Wales takes the lead in the upcoming NATO exercises, showcasing the preparedness and capabilities of the Royal Navy.