HMS Queen Elizabeth leak: Navy's new £3.1bn warship 'takes on 200 litres of sea water an hour'
Britain's new aircraft carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth, is leaking as a result of a faulty seal, it has emerged. The Royal Navy's £3.1 billion warship, which was accepted into the Royal Navy fleet by The Queen less than a month ago, has a "significant" defect.
Reports suggested there is a problem with an inflatable rubber ring-style seal around one of the propeller shafts.
The fault means the ship has been taking on up to 200 litres of sea water an hour, according to The Sun.
The Royal Navy confirmed the problem was identified during sea trials and said the aircraft carrier is scheduled for repair.
Repairs, which will be paid for by the manufacturers rather than the Ministry of Defence, are likely to cost millions of pounds, sources suggested.
A Royal Navy spokesman said the fault does not prevent the carrier from sailing again early in 2018.
Repairs 'will not cost taxpayer a penny'
Repairs to HMS Queen Elizabeth will not cost the British taxpayer a penny, the Defence Secretary has insisted.
Pressed on suggestions that repairs could cost millions, Gavin Williamson said the money would come "from the contractors who built her".
"This isn't going to cost the British taxpayer a penny," he said. "This is the reason why we have the sea trials, to make sure that everything is working absolutely perfectly.
"This is something that work is currently ongoing to deal with, and HMS Queen Elizabeth will be going out early on in the new year to continue her sea trials and making sure she is fully operable in terms of helicopters and the F-35 being able to fly off her deck.
"HMS Queen Elizabeth is the most magnificent aircraft carrier in the world and, when she is fully operational and she is being deployed right around the world, she is going to make a significant difference as to what we can actually achieve and what we are able to do as a global power."
Most powerful warship ever built by the UK
At 280m (918ft) long and with an estimated half-a-century working life, the behemoth is the biggest and most powerful ever built by the UK.
However, it is understood the vessel has been leaking for some time.
A Royal Navy spokesman said: "An issue with a shaft seal has been identified during HMS Queen Elizabeth's sea trials; this is scheduled for repair while she is alongside at Portsmouth.
"It does not prevent her from sailing again and her sea trials programme will not be affected."
10,000 people worked on construction of ship
The aircraft carrier weighs 65,000 tonnes and has a top speed in excess of 25 knots.
Several ship-building yards around the country were involved in the build.
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These include Govan and Scotstoun in Glasgow, Appledore in Devon, Cammell Laird in Liverpool, A&P on the Tyne in Newcastle and Portsmouth.
Around 10,000 people worked on construction of the ship, made up in sections at yards around the UK and transported to Rosyth, Fife, where it was assembled.
Building aircraft carriers 'not for the fainthearted'
Speaking ahead of the ship's commissioning on December 7, Captain Jerry Kyd described it as a "major milestone".
The ship's commanding officer said: "Building aircraft carriers is not for the fainthearted. There are very few countries who can do this around the world."
He later added: "Putting together an aircraft carrier and all its facets and all its bits and pieces is quite a complicated business, (but) one we are looking forward to.
"This (the commissioning) is a major milestone now, it is all systems go really."
The aircraft carrier was delivered by ship building partnership the Aircraft Carrier Alliance (ACA).
An ACA spokesman said: "HMS Queen Elizabeth has been accepted into Her Majesty's fleet.
"It is normal practice for a volume of work and defect resolution to continue following vessel acceptance.
"This will be completed prior to the nation's flagship re-commencing her programme at sea in 2018."
