Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth is undergoing sea trials after navigation and propulsion system upgrades and will soon enter dry dock in Scotland.
As per a recent RN press statement the £3 billion, 284-metre warship was due to sail from Portsmouth yesterday (Wednesday) to test the new systems before sailing to Babcock International’s facility in Rosyth, Scotland for her scheduled seven-month stint in dry dock.
The maintenance programme represents her first major refit since her 2017 commissioning, although the former RN flagship did also spend time in dry dock last year to replace both propeller shafts after corrosion was discovered on one of them.
As per the RN statement, while at sea before heading to Rosyth Fleet Operational Standards and Training (FOST) teams will be coming aboard “to assess the 500-strong ship’s company’s ability to deal with a range of on-board emergencies, including damage control and fire and floods training.”
Commanding Officer of HMS Queen Elizabeth Captain Claire Thompson commented: “The departure of HMS Queen Elizabeth from Portsmouth marks the end of one phase of our upkeep period and the beginning of another.
“We have achieved an enormous amount in 2025, with a significant upgrade to our propulsion system being the most notable item amidst a wide range of engineering projects tackled alongside our partners from industry.
“This engineering work has happened concurrently with a rigorous training programme, to ensure my ship’s company are safe to operate at sea.”
- You can read more details on the Royal Navy website