The ship will lead a carrier strike group in the Mediterranean for the fourth time over the past four years, according to the newspaper. HMS Queen Elizabeth's deployment will allow F-35 Lightning fighter jets to fly over the Black Sea, it added.
The aircraft carrier was supposed to be deployed with another aircraft carrier, HMS Prince of Wales, which, however, remains in dock for repairs.
In December, the newspaper stated that HMS Prince of Wales had been in dock for repairs more often than at sea since being commissioned in 2019, with repair works expected to be completed by spring. HMS Queen Elizabeth replaced the Prince of Wales on overseas missions, despite the fact that the ships were to alternate every eight months, the report also read.
Problems with the warship's functioning began as early as 2020. The carrier suffered a leak in the engine room, then the collapse of an accommodation block. The ship has been languishing lately in a Scottish dockyard after breaking down off the Isle of Wight due to a propeller shaft problem in August, according to The Times.