Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier

Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier. The Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers are a class of two aircraft carriers, HMS Queen Elizabeth (R08) and HMS Prince of Wales (R09), built for the Royal Navy by a consortium of Babcock International, BAE Systems, and Thales Group. These carriers are the largest warships ever built for the United Kingdom, with a displacement of over 65,000 tonnes. The class is named after the Queen Elizabeth 2, with the first ship, HMS Queen Elizabeth (R08), being named after the Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and the second ship, HMS Prince of Wales (R09), being named after Charles, Prince of Wales.

Introduction

The Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers were designed to replace the Invincible-class aircraft carriers, which were decommissioned in the early 2010s. The new carriers were designed to be more versatile and capable, with a larger flight deck and a more advanced aircraft handling system. The class was designed in collaboration with the French Navy and the Italian Navy, with the goal of creating a common aircraft carrier design for the three navies. The design of the Queen Elizabeth-class was influenced by the US Navy's Nimitz-class aircraft carrier and the French Navy's Charles de Gaulle (R91).

Design and construction

The Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers were built by a consortium of Babcock International, BAE Systems, and Thales Group at the Rosyth Dockyard in Scotland. The construction of the first ship, HMS Queen Elizabeth (R08), began in 2009 and was completed in 2014. The second ship, HMS Prince of Wales (R09), was laid down in 2011 and was completed in 2017. The class was designed to be built in modular construction, with different sections of the ship being built by different companies and then assembled at the Rosyth Dockyard. The design of the class was influenced by the US Navy's Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier and the French Navy's PA2 (aircraft carrier).

Operational history

The Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers have been involved in several military operations since their commissioning. In 2018, HMS Queen Elizabeth (R08) deployed to the United States for a series of sea trials and aircraft carrier certification trials. In 2020, HMS Prince of Wales (R09) deployed to the North Sea for a series of naval exercises with the Royal Navy and the US Navy. The class has also been involved in several humanitarian missions, including the response to Hurricane Irma in 2017. The class has worked closely with the US Navy's Fifth Fleet and the French Navy's Force d'action navale.

Characteristics

The Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers have a displacement of over 65,000 tonnes and a length of over 280 metres. The class has a flight deck of over 13,000 square metres and a hangar of over 12,000 square metres. The class is powered by two Rolls-Royce Marine gas turbines and four Wärtsilä diesel generators. The class has a top speed of over 25 knots and a range of over 10,000 nautical miles. The class is equipped with a Phalanx CIWS close-in weapon system and a Goalkeeper CIWS close-in weapon system. The class has worked closely with the US Navy's Aegis Combat System and the French Navy's Sylver (missile launcher).

Ships in class

The Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers consist of two ships: HMS Queen Elizabeth (R08) and HMS Prince of Wales (R09). HMS Queen Elizabeth (R08) was commissioned in 2017 and is based at the Portsmouth Naval Base. HMS Prince of Wales (R09) was commissioned in 2019 and is based at the Rosyth Dockyard. The class has been involved in several naval exercises with the Royal Navy and the US Navy, including the Exercise Joint Warrior and the Exercise Trident Juncture. The class has also worked closely with the French Navy's Charles de Gaulle (R91) and the Italian Navy's Cavour (550). Category:Aircraft carriers of the Royal Navy