HMS Queen Elizabeth: Drone shot down after flying over Royal Navy ship while on Nato deployment in Sweden

An unidentified drone was shot down by armed forces after flying over HMS Queen Elizabeth while on deployment, reports say.
By Freddie Webb
Published 10th Jan 2024, 13:11 BST
Updated 10th Jan 2024, 13:16 BST
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The Swedish military took down the aircraft while the Portsmouth-based aircraft carrier was operating near Scandinavia while on her Autumn deployment with the UK Carrier Strike Group. According to Forces News, the incident happened while the Royal Navy vessel was in Skandia Harbour, Gothenburg, in late October.

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The UK and Sweden are both members of the Joint Expeditionary Forces (JEF), which carried out intensive training exercises across the North Atlantic.

HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH operating off the coast of Norway while on Nato deployment. Reports say an unidentified drone was shot down after flying over the vessel while operating in Sweden. Picture: AS1 Amber Mayall RAF/RN.HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH operating off the coast of Norway while on Nato deployment. Reports say an unidentified drone was shot down after flying over the vessel while operating in Sweden. Picture: AS1 Amber Mayall RAF/RN.
HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH operating off the coast of Norway while on Nato deployment. Reports say an unidentified drone was shot down after flying over the vessel while operating in Sweden. Picture: AS1 Amber Mayall RAF/RN.
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Carl-Johan Edström, head of operations command in the Swedish armed forces, said the aerial device entered the protected airspace over the warship. The armed forces added that there was no indication of malicious intent or foreign involvement.

HMS Queen Elizabeth left Portsmouth at the beginning of September, with the crew carrying out operations involving F-35B fighter jets, submarines and other aircraft assets.

Related topics:HMS Queen ElizabethDroneNATORoyal NavyPortsmouthAutumn