Royal Navy carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth forced to abandon Nato exercise by propeller ’issue’

BRITAIN’S flagship aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth has been pulled off a Nato drill due to a faulty propellor shaft. She was due to set sail from Portsmouth today to take part in Exercise Steadfast Defender in northern Europe, the biggest Nato exercise since the end of the Cold War. The departure of the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth to lead the largest Nato exercise since the Cold War has been cancelled at the last minute after an “issue” with a propeller shaft was spotted during final checks. The setback comes 18 months after sister ship HMS Prince of Wales broke down off the Isle of Wight, after it sailed for the US, having suffered a malfunction with a coupling on its starboard propeller. Read more: The Sun delivers breaking news, latest gossip and incredible exclusives around the world with hubs in London, New York, Scotland and Ireland. Covering topics from news,