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Aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth (R 08)

Aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth (R 08) 0Aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth (R 08) 1Aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth (R 08) 2Aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth (R 08) 3Aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth (R 08) 4

Classification

Ship class:
Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier
Type:
Fleet carrier

Basic information

Namesake:
Queen Elizabeth I
Operator:
Royal NavyRoyal Navy
Country of build:
Builder:
BAE Systems Surface Ships
Ordered:
Laid down:
Launched:
Commissioned (service):
Status:
Active
IMO number:
4907892

Ship measurements

Displacement:
65,000 t
Length:
280 m
Beam:
73 m
Beam (waterline):
39 m
Draft:
11 m

Machine

Propulsion system:
IEP-FEP-IFEP
Propulsion:
  • 2 * Rolls-Royce Marine Trent MT30 36 MW (48,000 hp) gas turbine engine
  • 4 * Wärtsilä 38 marine diesel engines (4 * 16V38 11.6 MW or 15,600 hp)
  • 4 * GE Power Conversion 20 MW (27,000 hp) Advanced Induction Motors and VDM25000 Drives
  • 2 * shafts; fixed pitch propellers
Speed:
32 knots
Range:
10,000 nautical miles (19,000 km; 12,000 mi)

Personnel

Complement:
679
Embarked units:
250
Total capacity:
1,600

Combat assets

Boats & landing craft:
  • 2 * (36 Man) Passenger transport boats
  • 2 * Pacific 24 Ribs
Electronics:
  • S1850M long range radar
  • Type 997 Artisan 3D medium range radar
  • Ultra Electronics Series 2500 Electro Optical System (EOS)
Armament:
  • 3 * Phalanx CIWS (2 fitted in 2019, 3rd to be fitted in 2020)
  • 4 * 30mm calibre gun (all to be fitted in 2020), various Miniguns and GPMGs to counter asymmetric threats
Aircraft:
  • Planned carrier air wing of 24 to 36 F-35B Lightning II's and 14 helicopters for the ships first deployment in 2021
  • (65+ aircraft carried at surge capacity)
  • F-35B Lightning II
  • Chinook
  • Apache AH MK1
  • Merlin HM2 and HC4
  • Wildcat AH1 and HMA2
  • Merlin Crowsnest AEW

HMS Queen Elizabeth is the lead ship of the Queen Elizabeth class of aircraft carriers, the largest warships ever built for the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom. Capable of carrying close to 60 aircraft, she is named in honour of the first Queen Elizabeth, a World War I era super-dreadnought, which in turn was named after Queen Elizabeth I. The carrier Queen Elizabeth will carry her namesake ship's honours, as well as her Tudor rose-adorned crest and motto.

The ship began sea trials in June 2017, was commissioned on 7 December 2017 and is scheduled to enter service in 2020.

Due to the absence of catapults or arrestor wires, Queen Elizabeth is designed to operate V/STOL aircraft. The air wing will typically consist of F-35B Lightning II multirole fighters and Merlin helicopters for airborne early warning and anti-submarine warfare. The design emphasises flexibility, with accommodation for 250 Royal Marines and the ability to support them with attack helicopters and large troop transports such as Chinooks. She is the second Royal Navy vessel to bear the name Queen Elizabeth, and is based at HMNB Portsmouth.

Queen Elizabeth three times the size of the Invincible-class, and has the ability to carry approximately three times as many aircraft. Despite this, Queen Elizabeth has marginally fewer crew than the Invincible-class. She is approximately three times as large as the former HMS Ocean. The ship has two superstructures, or islands, one for navigation and ship's operations and the other for flight control and aerial operations. The islands can take on each other's function if one is incapacitated.

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