Navy’s four smallest ships to venture north while flagship languishes in port

Four of the smallest ships in the Royal Navy are preparing to head far north into the Arctic and take part in a major exercise that the fleet’s largest ship, HMS Queen Elizabeth, has been forced to pull out of because of a propeller “issue”.

The departure of the fleet flagship from Portsmouth Naval Base at the weekend was cancelled at the last minute after final inspections spotted a problem with the starboard propeller coupling.

The £3.5 billion warship had been heading out to lead Exercise Steadfast Defender – the largest Nato exercise since the Cold War – which will take place off Norway’s Arctic coast in March.

But the four P2000 “plastic patrol craft” – HMS Biter, Blazer, Exploit and Trumpeter – sailed from Portsmouth on Monday as they make final preparations before heading to Norway.

They also have a crew of only five each compared with the core 780-strong crew of HMS Queen Elizabeth which was set to grow to 1,350 when the flight crew joined it for the exercise.

Commander Richard Skelton, the Coastal Forces’ Squadron’s commanding officer, said: “It’s no small feat to take a 20-metre long plastic patrol boat, with an open bridge 1,500 miles north into the Arctic Circle and not only survive there but operate.

Petty Officer Timothy Scott, HMS Biter’s marine engineer officer, added: “Deploying to over 70 degrees North where the average temperature will be below zero presents an exciting new challenge for the squadron.

“Building on last year’s experience we will rise to a new challenge in the harsh Arctic environment of Norway and continue the journey of returning to our roots of small boat coastal warfare.”

A Royal Navy spokesman said: “While away the fast patrol boats, each crewed by just five sailors, will go further north than any of their class – above the 70th Parallel – as they work with the Norwegian Navy and Norwegian Coastal Ranger Commandos and support key international exercises.

“In the past few years, the Coastal Forces Squadron has evolved from a unit of 14 boats which was mostly used to give university students a sample of life in the Royal Navy to a force returning to its First and Second World War roots, specialising in small, fast boat operations, supporting front-line RN and Nato training and missions around the UK and northwest Europe.”

Announcing the mechanical issue on HMS Queen Elizabeth, Fleet Commander Vice Admiral Andrew Burns said: “Routine pre-sailing checks identified an issue with a coupling on HMS Queen Elizabeth’s starboard propeller shaft. As such, the ship will not sail on Sunday.

“HMS Prince of Wales will take her place on Nato duties and will set sail for Exercise Steadfast Defender as soon as possible.“

The four patrol craft will leave Portsmouth later this month for the four-month 1,750 deployment, travelling via the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark, before reaching their destination north of Tromso in time for the large-scale international winter exercises Joint Viking and Nordic Response – the maritime part of Exercise Steadfast Defender.