Queen Elizabeth-Class: Big Ships, Bigger Problems: Though they are the largest warships ever in service with the United Kingdom, persistent technical problems, aircraft shortages, and a lack of support elements hinder their capabilities.
The Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers are the largest warships ever constructed for the Royal Navy. They’re designed to provide the United Kingdom with a modern carrier strike capability, and the class consists of two vessels: HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales.
Design and Capabilities
Unlike the Invincible-class carriers they replace, which were significantly smaller and primarily designed to fill an anti-submarine warfare — albeit with a secondary role in launching short takeoff and vertical landing aircraft — the Queen Elizabeth-class is intended for global power projection.
Each of the two carriers has a displacement of around 65,000 tons, making them three times larger than their predecessors. They feature a ski-jump ramp for launching F-35B stealth fighters, and interestingly, the carriers also feature twin islands, a design choice that separates the navigation and flight controls.
Unlike American aircraft carriers, which are nuclear-powered carriers, the Queen Elizabeth-class relies on gas turbines and diesel generators for propulsion, affording the ships a range of 10,000 nautical miles without refueling.
Queen Elizabeth-Class: The Two Carriers in Service
HMS Queen Elizabeth, the lead ship of the class, was commissioned into Royal Navy service in 2017. It has experienced a number of problems that have forced its counterpart to play a more active role within the Royal Navy than originally intended. The second ship, HMS Prince of Wales, was commissioned in 2019.
Unlike its sister ship, it has faced significant operational setbacks, including mechanical failures that resulted in deployment delays. Though the ship was initially intended as a backup to Queen Elizabeth, it has been forced to take a more active role and take Queen Elizabeth’s spot in multilateral defense exercises.
Persistent Problems
Despite their capabilities, the Queen Elizabeth-class has faced multiple technical and logistical challenges. A major issue has been propulsion system failures, notably during one of the most extensive NATO exercises since the Cold War last year.
In a post on X, the Royal Navy explained what the issue was. “Routine pre-sailing checks yesterday identified an issue with a coupling on [the HMS Queen Elizabeth’s] starboard propeller shaft. As such, the ship will not sail on Sunday.” The Royal Navy added that the HMS Prince of Wales “will take her place on NATO duties and will set sail for Exercise Steadfast Defender as soon as possible.”
A crucial shortcoming of the carriers is aircraft availability. The F-35B is the central pillar of the class’ strike capability, but procurement delays, maintenance issues, and ballooning costs have meant that fewer aircraft are available than initially planned.
Of the 138 F-35Bs originally intended for purchase, only a fraction of those are fully operationally available.
Broader Strategic Challenges
Technical issues aside, the Royal Navy is being squeezed. A persistent problem for the ships is the number of escort ships, like frigates and destroyers, available to screen the carriers while underway, as well as overall fleet numbers. In a high-threat environment, this would be a massive issue and adversely affect the carrier’s survivability.
While the Queen Elizabeth-class carriers could significantly enhance the United Kingdom’s ability to conduct expeditionary operations and project power around the globe, persistent technical problems, as well as an aircraft shortage, are a challenge.
In the future, the aircraft carrier’s effectiveness will hinge on resolving budgetary constraints and commissioning a sufficiently robust escort presence for survivability.
About the Author: Caleb Larson
Caleb Larson is an American multiformat journalist based in Berlin, Germany. His work covers the intersection of conflict and society, focusing on American foreign policy and European security. He has reported from Germany, Russia, and the United States. Most recently, he covered the war in Ukraine, reporting extensively on the war’s shifting battle lines from Donbas and writing on the war’s civilian and humanitarian toll. Previously, he worked as a Defense Reporter for POLITICO Europe. You can follow his latest work on X.
