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SCMP Reporter

Britain’s newest and most expensive aircraft carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth, aborted its latest sea trials after a leak was discovered.
The setback for Britain’s future flagship comes months after the UK said it planned to send the aircraft carrier to the South China Sea, a move derided by critics domestically as a bad diplomatic move.
The 65,000-tonne ship, hailed as Britain’s most advanced military vessel, was taking part in a five-week sea trial when it was forced to return to Portsmouth Naval Base.
It was the second time the £3.1 billion (US$3.9 billion) aircraft carrier, which was commissioned in 2017, was put out of action by leaks.

#MondayMotivation is #WESTLANT19
We go into our last week of @FOST aiming to achieve a to proceed across the pond and conduct operational testing of the F35s
Alongside this evaluation we are also conducting 24hr flying with 4 types of aircraft.#multitasking pic.twitter.com/T9JBnErf96
— HMS Queen Elizabeth (@HMSQNLZ) July 8, 2019

There were contradictory reports about the scale of the problem.
A UK Ministry of Defence spokeswoman described the leak discovered on Tuesday as “small”.
“Following a minor issue with an internal system on HMS Queen Elizabeth, the ship’s company were required to remove a small volume of water from the ship.
“An investigation into the cause is under way.”
However Forces News, citing its sources, said the leak was “major” and that three sailors were at risk of drowning.


It said flooding was caused on “several decks” after a high-pressure pipe burst, letting in 200 tonnes of water.
The incident comes after other reported problems with a shaft seal leak and malfunctioning sprinklers in the ship’s hangar.
The Aircraft Carrier Alliance – a consortium including British engineering companies BAE Systems and Babcock, and the UK division of France’s Thales – built the vessel and its sister aircraft carrier, the HMS Prince of Wales, as part of a £6.2 billion project.

The carrier is expected to be operational in 2020, bound for anywhere from the Persian Gulf to the South China Sea.
China has one aircraft carrier – the Liaoning, a second-hand vessel from the former Soviet Union.
The PLA is expected to take delivery of China’s first home-grown carrier, the Type 001A, later this year, but its design is still based on an old Soviet model.
Satellite images published in May show work on China’s first domestically designed aircraft carrier.
The carrier, known as the Type 002, will be China’s third.


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Britain

British aircraft carrier Queen Elizabeth aborts sea trial after ‘major leak’, report says

HMS Queen Elizabeth conducts sea trials off the coast of Scotland. File photo: UK Royal Navy

epa06054481 A handout photo made available by the British Ministry of Defence (MOD) showing the British Royal Navy aircfaft carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth as she conducts vital system tests off the coast of Scotland, 28 June 2017. HMS Queen Elizabeth, the first QE Class aircraft carrier, is expected to set sail from Rosyth to commence first stage sea trials off the north east of Scotland. Three years after she was officially named by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the Nation's future flagship will spend an initial period of around six weeks at sea to test the fundamentals of the ship. The sea trials will monitor speed, manoeuvrability, power and propulsion as well as undertaking weapons trials and additional tests on her levels of readiness. She will transit to her home port of Portsmouth Naval Base to be handed over to the Royal Navy later this year. EPA/BRITISH MINISTRY OF DEFENCE / H MANDATORY CREDIT MOD: CROWN COPYRIGHT HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES

Britain’s HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier takes to seas for first time after costly delays

HMS Queen Elizabeth will set sail on its maiden voyage Monday. Photo: Ministry of Defence

epa06013464 A handout photo made available on 06 June 2017 by the British Ministry of Defence (MOD) showing people on the flight deck of the British Royal Navy HMS Queen Elizabeth, an Elizabeth-class of aircraft carrier, alongside at Rosyth dockyard, Rosyth, Scotland, 19 May 2017. The British MOD report on 06 June 2017 that HMS Queen Elizabeth is in advanced stages of her test and commissioning phase and will undertake her maiden sea trials programme in the summer. The Ship’s Company of HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH has now taken up residence on board the nation’s future flagship. Over the last couple of months, the 700-strong Ship’s Company has been navigating their way around the 65,000 tonne aircraft carrier. EPA/PO PHOT RAY JONES / BRITISH MINISTRY OF DEFENCE / HANDOUT MANDATORY CREDIT: PO PHOT RAY JONES (MOD): CROWNCOPYRIGHT HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES

epa06013463 A handout photo made available on 06 June 2017 by the British Ministry of Defence (MOD) showing British Royal Navy HMS Queen Elizabeth, an Elizabeth-class of aircraft carrier, alongside at Rosyth dockyard, Rosyth, Scotland, 19 May 2017. The British MOD report on 06 June 2017 that HMS Queen Elizabeth is in advanced stages of her test and commissioning phase and will undertake her maiden sea trials programme in the summer. The Ship’s Company of HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH has now taken up residence on board the nation’s future flagship. Over the last couple of months, the 700-strong Ship’s Company has been navigating their way around the 65,000 tonne aircraft carrier. EPA/PO PHOT RAY JONES / BRITISH MINISTRY OF DEFENCE / HANDOUT MANDATORY CREDIT: PO PHOT RAY JONES (MOD): CROWNCOPYRIGHT HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES

At 280m, the HMS Queen Elizabeth is longer than the Houses of Parliament (265m). And its length is greater than the height of the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth (170m).

Satellite images show how work on China’s new Type 002 aircraft carrier is coming along

Satellite image showing the facility at which the aircraft carrier is being built. Photo: CSIS/ ChinaPower/ Maxar Technologies via Reuters

A satellite image shows what appears to be the construction of a third Chinese aircraft carrier at the Jiangnan Shipyard in Shanghai, China April 17, 2019. Image taken April 17, 2019. CSIS/ChinaPower/Maxar Technologies 2019/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS Ð THIS PICTURE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES. NO CROPPING OR MODIFYING OF THE IMAGE ALLOWED. MANDATORY CREDIT.

FILE PHOTO - Warships and fighter jets of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy take part in a military display in the South China Sea April 12, 2018. To match Special Report CHINA-ARMY/NAVY REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. CHINA OUT.

A satellite image shows what appears to be the construction of a third Chinese aircraft carrier at the Jiangnan Shipyard in Shanghai. Photo: CSIS/ ChinaPower/ Maxar Technologies via Reuters

UK’s newest, most expensive aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth is leaking and needs repair

The HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier is in need of repairs after a leak was found. Photo: AP

FILE PHOTO: The British aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth is pulled from its berth by tugs before its maiden voyage, in Rosyth, Scotland, Britain June 26, 2017. REUTERS/Russell Cheyne/File Photo

Warship row: why Britain can’t afford to be on China’s bad side

Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) shakes hands with Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May (L) ahead of their meeting at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing on February 1, 2018. Hounded by Brexit rows at home, May met President Xi on February 1 to forge deeper trade ties after Britain leaves the EU. / AFP PHOTO / POOL / WU HONG

(FILES) This file photo taken on March 25, 2017 shows an EU flag and a Union flag held by a demonstrator is seen with Elizabeth Tower (Big Ben) and the Houses of Parliament as marchers taking part in an anti-Brexit, pro-European Union (EU) march enter Parliament Square in central London on March 25, 2017, ahead of the British government's planned triggering of Article 50 next week. EU migrants said on June 23 that far from being "generous", Prime Minister Theresa May's offer for their post-Brexit residency was niggardly and left them prey to the whims of British lawmakers. One year ago today on June 23, 2016 Britain voted to leave the European Union. / AFP PHOTO / DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS

AT SEA - SEPTEMBER 27: A new F-35B Lightning fighter jet prepares to land on the deck of the United Kingdom's new aircraft carrier, The HMS Queen Elizabeth at sea in the Atlantic Ocean off the U.S. mid-Atlantic coast, on September 27, 2018. Two F35-B's are participating in flight trials aboard the carrier which is able to embark up to 24 of the supersonic jets. Mark Wilson/Getty Images/AFP

The Royal Navy’s new aircraft carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth. File photo: AP

News

World

Europe

Setback for Britain’s future flagship comes after the UK said it planned to send the aircraft carrier to the South China Sea
One report describes major flooding, contradicting official statement


Setback for Britain’s future flagship comes after the UK said it planned to send the aircraft carrier to the South China Sea.


Defence

South China Sea