HMS Queen Elizabeth (R08)

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Queen Elizabeth.

HMS Queen Elizabeth, February 2018
History
United Kingdom
NameQueen Elizabeth
NamesakeElizabeth I[1]
OperatorRoyal Navy
Ordered20 May 2008
BuilderAircraft Carrier Alliance at Rosyth Dockyard
Cost
  • Programme cost: £6.1 billion[2]
  • Unit cost: £3 billion[a]
Laid down7 July 2009[3]
Launched17 July 2014
Sponsored by
Christened4 July 2014
Commissioned7 December 2017[5]
In service2020[6]
HomeportHMNB Portsmouth
Identification
MottoSemper Eadem ("Always the Same")[8]
Honours and
awards
StatusIn active service
Badge
General characteristics
Class and typeQueen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier
TypeAircraft supercarrier
Displacement65,000 tonnes (64,000 long tons; 72,000 short tons)[9]
Length284 m (932 ft)[10]
Beam39 m (128 ft) (waterline) 73 m (240 ft) overall
Draught11 m (36 ft)[11]
Decks9 decks below the flight deck
PropulsionGE Integrated electric propulsion powered by two Rolls-Royce Marine 36 MW MT30 gas turbine alternators and four 10 MW diesel engines[12]
Speed25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph), tested to 32 knots (59 km/h; 37 mph)[13]
Range10,000 nautical miles (19,000 km)[6]
Boats & landing
craft carried
  • up to 3 x (36-man) ALN-139-class passenger transport boats;
  • 2 x Pacific 24 RHIBs
Capacity1,600[14]
Troops250[14]
Complement679[15]
Sensors and
processing systems
Armament
Aircraft carried
Aviation facilities
  • Hangar below deck
  • Two aircraft lifts
  • Refuelling and re-arming facilities
  • Ski jump

HMS Queen Elizabeth is the lead ship of the Queen Elizabeth class of aircraft carriers and the Fleet Flagship of the Royal Navy. Capable of carrying 60 aircraft including fixed wing, rotary wing and autonomous vehicles,[20] she is named in honour of the first HMS Queen Elizabeth, a World War I era super-dreadnought, which in turn was named after Queen Elizabeth I. The carrier Queen Elizabeth carries her namesake ship's honours, as well as her Tudor rose-adorned crest and motto.[1]

Queen Elizabeth commenced her sea trials in June 2017,[21] was commissioned on 7 December 2017 and entered service in 2020. Her first seagoing commanding officer was Commodore Jerry Kyd who was appointed in 2014 but did not take command until May 2016,[22] having previously commanded the carriers Ark Royal and Illustrious.[23]

The ship 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 based at HMNB Portsmouth.[24]

Queen Elizabeth will deploy as the central part of a UK Carrier Strike Group with escorts and support ships in order to deliver carrier-enabled power projection.[25]

  1. ^ a b Allison, George (4 March 2018). "Royal Navy press team confirm which monarch HMS Queen Elizabeth is named for". UK Defence Journal. Archived from the original on 6 March 2018. Retrieved 4 March 2018.
  2. ^ a b Pocock, Chris (18 July 2014). "British Carrier Remains Controversial". Aviation International News Online. Archived from the original on 5 July 2018. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
  3. ^ "Work begins on aircraft carriers". BBC News. 7 July 2009. Retrieved 11 March 2011.
  4. ^ "Further Military Appointments for Members of the Royal Family". The Royal Family. 11 August 2023. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
  5. ^ "Queen to commission namesake aircraft carrier in three weeks, Defence Secretary announces on flight-deck". Royal Navy. 16 November 2017. Archived from the original on 16 November 2017. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  6. ^ a b c "Key facts about the Queen Elizabeth class" (PDF). Aircraft Carrier Alliance. Archived (PDF) from the original on 28 July 2017. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
  7. ^ Thomas, David A. (1998). Battles and Honours of the Royal Navy (Kindle ed.). Barnsley, S. Yorkshire: Leo Cooper. ISBN 978-1-78383-294-1.
  8. ^ "Queen Elizabeth's veterans Pride in Britain's new carrier". Royal Navy. 3 July 2014. Archived from the original on 23 January 2018. Retrieved 23 January 2018.
  9. ^ "HMS Queen Elizabeth". Royal Navy. Archived from the original on 7 December 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2018.
  10. ^ "Future Ships: Queen Elizabeth class". Royal Navy. Archived from the original on 10 August 2013. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  11. ^ "Future Aircraft Carrier (CVF) Facts and Figures". Royal Navy. Archived from the original on 10 May 2008. Retrieved 21 May 2008.
  12. ^ a b "Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carrier: A Guide". UK Defence Journal. 2 January 2017. Archived from the original on 3 July 2017. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  13. ^ Allison, George (24 July 2017). "HMS Queen Elizabeth exceeds stated maximum speed on trials". UK Defence Journal.
  14. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Hargreaves201312 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  15. ^ Cite error: The named reference AW20130911 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  16. ^ "Close-in defence for the Royal Navy's aircraft carriers". Navy Lookout.com. 28 April 2021. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  17. ^ "In focus: the Fleet Solid Support ship design". Navy Lookout. 28 February 2023. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
  18. ^ Allison, George (6 December 2016). "What will the Queen Elizabeth class carriers carry?". UK Defence Journal. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  19. ^ Hankinson, Andrew (19 March 2017). "Replacing the Invincibles: Inside the Royal Navy's controversial £6.2 billion warships". Wired UK. Archived from the original on 4 September 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  20. ^ Allison, George (9 February 2018). "What kind of aircraft and how many of them will HMS Queen Elizabeth carry?". UK Defence Journal. Archived from the original on 16 April 2018. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  21. ^ "Queen Elizabeth Due To Set Sail From Rosyth today". BBC News. 26 June 2017. Archived from the original on 26 June 2017. Retrieved 26 June 2017.
  22. ^ "Commanding the carrier – a brief history of HMS Queen Elizabeth's captains". Navy Lookout. 21 January 2020. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  23. ^ "Royal Navy Appoints First Captain of HMS Queen Elizabeth". Royal Navy. 27 February 2014. Archived from the original on 6 March 2014. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  24. ^ "Portsmouth Naval Base facts". Royal Navy. Archived from the original on 24 February 2008. Retrieved 11 December 2008.
  25. ^ "Fleet Solid Support Ships: Procurement". Hansard. 9 July 2020. Retrieved 5 November 2020.


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