Babcock International Group has completed scheduled maintenance on the Royal Navy’s flagship aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth at its Rosyth facility in Scotland.
The carrier has returned to operational readiness, Babcock stated in a media release on 21 April 2026.
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
The maintenance programme included extensive inspections and enhancement of core systems such as propulsion and stabilisation, as well as other essential repairs and renewals.
Teams of engineers, technicians, and specialists carried out thousands of hours of work, which Babcock states ensures the carrier remains prepared for deployment.
Babcock marine programmes managing director Phil Craig said: “This programme of work ensures that the carrier continues to meet the operational demands placed upon her.
“This milestone reflects both the strength of collaboration and the depth of expertise required to sustain the Royal Navy’s most complex warships.”
The maintenance period marked the fourth time a Queen Elizabeth-class carrier has entered dry dock at Rosyth in the past seven years.
The Rosyth site is one of the largest waterfront maintenance and manufacturing operations in the UK, where Babcock maintains and develops capabilities needed for the Royal Navy’s requirements.
The Queen Elizabeth-class, comprises HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales, which are the largest and most technically complex warships in Royal Navy service.
With displacement of 65,000 tonnes, these carriers accommodate around 700 crew members and are capable of carrying as many as 40 aircraft.
HMS Queen Elizabeth was christened by The Queen in July 2014 and entered service in December 2017.
Prior to returning to front-line duties, the carrier is scheduled to undergo sea trials.
