The HMS Queen Elizabeth set sail yesterday from Portsmouth Naval Base bound for the United States. The 65,000-tonne carrier, the largest warship ever built for the Royal Navy, will embark two US F-35B test aircraft to begin the first flight trials.
The BBC reports that they are expected to carry out 500 landings and take-offs during the carrier’s 11 weeks at sea.
Capt Jerry Kyd, the carrier’s commanding officer, added: “Crossing a major ocean with 1,500 sailors, aircrew and marines embarked and the specter of the first F-35B Lightning landing on the deck in September is very exciting for us all.
“It has been an incredible journey since we left Rosyth just over a year ago and we are all looking forward to this next seminal chapter in HMS Queen Elizabeth‘s life.”
On leaving Portsmouth, HMS Queen Elizabeth will carry out tests in UK waters before heading across the Atlantic to the US where it will also visit New York.
The carrier is expected to be ready for its first operational deployment in 2021.
The first of the UK’s joint Royal Navy and RAF F-35B supersonic jets arrived from the US in June and are based at RAF Marham in Norfolk. Testing onboard HMS Queen Elizabeth is scheduled for next year.
HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH R08 LEAVES PORTSMOUTH FOR F-35B FIGHTER JET TRIALS IN THE USA – 18th August 2018
Thanks to David Rye for contributing to this post.
May she always sail through peaceful waters.
lovely boat, triumph of British technology etc, etc. Wish I was less concerned about the vulnerability of this floating airfield and the wasted expense if something happens to it. Got to ask whether in this day of drones and the ability to mount long distance sorties, big aircraft carriers aren’t a bit anachronistic. Toys for the boys of course, and clearly they have to have them, but isn’t this puttin all your eggs in one boat ?