ALBAWABA - Britain's naval flagship, the aircraft carrier "Queen Elizabeth," is unable to set sail as planned for NATO's most significant maneuvers since the Cold War. The Royal Navy announced the carrier's withdrawal on Sunday, attributing it to an unforeseen technical malfunction.
As an alternative to the "Queen Elizabeth," the aircraft carrier "Prince of Wales" is set to navigate the waters for the NATO exercises off the coast of the Arctic in Norway, according to Reuters.
The HMS Prince of Wales will step in to replace the HMS Queen Elizabeth in the exercises, marking a reversal of the situation in August 2022 when the Prince of Wales faced a propeller issue during training exercises with the U.S. and Canada. The HMS Queen Elizabeth had taken its place in those exercises.
This setback raises concerns for the British Navy's ability to deploy aircraft to the Red Sea, as suggested by Armed Forces Minister James Heappey. The region has seen heightened tensions with Iran-backed Houthi rebels targeting cargo ships, creating a volatile situation.
This development could potentially limit the British Navy's ability to deploy aircraft in the Red Sea, as suggested by the Minister of Armed Forces, James Heappey. Tensions have escalated with the Iran-backed Houthi group, which targets cargo ships in the sea connecting Asia to Europe and the United States.
