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<p>The recent issue on HMS Queen Elizabeth was identified during pre-sailing checks
and is corrosion on a coupling on the starboard shaft caused through general wear
and tear. It is not the same issue experienced by HMS Prince of Wales in 2022. It
is not uncommon to have maintenance issues with state-of-the-art ships which contain
complex engineering and technology. HMS Queen Elizabeth is a decade old and has thousands
of miles under her hull, conducting operations around the world.</p><p>As a replacement,
HMS Prince of Wales was able to deploy to take part in Operation Steadfast Defender
in seven days, which is a huge undertaking. This ability to rapidly deploy another
carrier to an urgent task underlines the importance of having two aircraft carriers,
providing flexibility and the ability to project power around the world.</p><p>The
Royal Navy continues to meet its operational commitments at home and abroad.</p>
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