Will She or Won’t She? HMS Queen Elizabeth Set to Leave Portsmouth on Monday Amid Technical Woes
The HMS Queen Elizabeth looks set to finally sail from Portsmouth at 12.45pm this Monday, accompanied by six tugs. But after a string of delayed departures this week, don’t hold your breath just yet.
Another False Start?
The Queen’s Harbour Master, Steve Hopper, has announced the latest provisional movements for the supercarrier. Portsmouth Harbour’s main channel will close at 12.15pm, clearing the way for the colossal vessel to set off escorted by tugs Tempest, Bountiful, Indulgent, Independent, Suzanne, and Christina.
However, similar planned sailings on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday all fell flat, leaving the public sceptical. Defence Minister Harriett Baldwin claimed the carrier would begin the second phase of trials this week, “weather permitting.” But insiders say bad weather is just a cover.
Technical Troubles Under the Surface
An anonymous source from Portsmouth Dockyard spills the beans: “She should never have left Rosyth. They knew there were major technical issues, but the Secretary of State pushed for her early arrival.”
According to the source, BAE engineers are struggling to fix the glitches while MoD officials pile on the pressure. “If she sails on Monday, it’ll be a massive achievement. I’d be surprised if she does,” they added.
Mixed Messages from the Top
Defence Minister Baldwin remains confident HMS Queen Elizabeth is still on track to officially join the Royal Navy this year, despite ongoing issues. Meanwhile, former First Sea Lord Admiral Lord West warned it would be “stupid” to run sea trials in dodgy weather, saying: “When you have to sail because it’s operational and scrape something on the way out, that’s just the way it goes.”
Oddly, the Portsmouth Evening News Defence Correspondent has questioned the Queen’s Harbour Master’s speculation about the carrier’s movements — even though the details were published by the Royal Navy and the Harbour Master himself.
The Waiting Game Continues
Commodore Jerry Kyd, HMS Queen Elizabeth’s captain and former skipper of HMS Ark Royal and HMS Illustrious, plus the decorated ex-Royal Navy Commodore Steve Hopper, clearly know their stuff. Their word carries more weight than local journos armed with a notepad.
So, will HMS Queen Elizabeth finally sail on Monday? Watch this space — the Navy’s new pride of the fleet’s fate remains up in the air.
