UK Aircraft Carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth Replaces HMS Prince of Wales In US Trip And Training Exercise

 

Daily Mail: Out of the way, son! HMS Queen Elizabeth sails past broken-down sister ship HMS Prince of Wales to take over role in US training exercises from £3billion aircraft carrier 

* The Royal Navy flagship HMS Queen Elizabeth has embarked on a voyage to the US for training exercises 

* Scores of well wishers lined Portsmouth Harbour and waved Union flags as they watched the ship set sail 

* The 65,0000-tonne ship will stop at New York, Halifax in Nova Scotia, and the Caribbean along its journey 

 * HMS Queen Elizabeth takes the place of HMS Prince of Wales, which broke down prematurely on Isle of Wight 

The Royal Navy flagship HMS Queen Elizabeth has embarked on a voyage to the US for training exercises in place of her sister ship, which broke down off the Isle of Wight. 

HMS Prince of Wales was forced to make a premature return to Portsmouth Naval Base on Saturday after a coupling on its starboard propeller shaft broke shortly after setting sail. 

The £3 billion aircraft carrier will now need to go into dry dock, probably at Rosyth in Scotland, to undergo repairs.  

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WNU editor: It looks like the HMS Prince of Wales needs significant repair .... Broken down £3bn warship to return to base using one propeller (SKY News). More here .... HMS Prince of Wales has “Significant Damage” Likely Requiring Dry Dock (Maritime Executive). 

UK Aircraft Carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth Replaces HMS Prince of Wales In US Trip And Training Exercise  

HMS Queen Elizabeth replaces HMS Prince of Wales in US trip -- BBC  

HMS Queen Elizabeth Departs U.K. to Sub for Damaged HMS Prince of Wales in East Coast Tour -- USNI News  

Britain’s flagship heads for the USA ahead of European operations -- Naval News

F-35 Lightning Jets Take Off And Land On HMS Queen Elizabeth Aircraft Carrier For The First Time

Daily Mail: Pictured: F-35 Lightning jets take off and land on HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier for the first time as the supersonic stealth planes conduct operational trials off the East Coast of the USA

* UK F-35 Lightning jets pictured landing and taking off from British aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth
* Royal Navy and Royal Air Force pilots are conducting tests on the aircraft off the East Coast of the USA
* They are among the first to combine radar-evading stealth technology with supersonic speeds - with first official deployment set for 2021

British supersonic stealth jets have taken off and landed on the HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier for the first time, as part of advanced trials with the US military.

The F-35 Lightning jets, the world's most advanced, will undergo rigorous mission planning and flying exercises off the east coast of north America, the Ministry of Defence said.

The MoD released images of the multi-role advanced aircraft hovering above and landing on the 65,000 tonne carrier for the first time on Sunday.

It follows successful trials last year with US military Lightning jets. The F-35B Lightning jet is the first to combine radar-evading stealth technology with supersonic speeds and short take-off and vertical landing capability.

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More News On F-35 Lightning Jets Taking Off And Landing On HMS Queen Elizabeth Aircraft Carrier

We Give You: HMS Queen Elizabeth And Her F-35 Fast Jets In All Their Glory -- Forces Network
HMS Queen Elizabeth: RAF landings of F-35 on Royal Navy aircraft carrier 'will be huge for Portsmouth' -- Portsmouth News
UK’s Lightning fighter jets head to US for advanced military trials -- PA Media
British F-35Bs take off from, land on new carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth -- UPI

Next Stop For Britiain's Newest Aircraft Carrier Is The Arctic

HMS Queen Elizabeth, HMS Sutherland and HMS Iron Duke.

ukdj: HMS Queen Elizabeth to sail for Arctic to support secretive air transport mission

British aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth is to sail to the Arctic Circle in a few weeks to support a multinational air transport mission, it has been revealed.

The new carrier was returning from recent trials with F-35 jets but it’s understood that she is being redirected for this mission. The vessel is being deployed to act as an emergency landing option should the cargo aircraft require its usage and the loading of provisions.

Other commentators have noted that that the loading of provisions would be unusual as the craft is rumoured to be self sufficient and shouldn’t need anything else.

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WNU Editor: The British aircraft carrier still does not have the planes to make it operational .... so acting as a back-up emergency landing option is the next best thing.

The U.K. Newest Aircraft Carriers Lack Close-In Air Defense Capabilities

The Warzone/The Drive: Queen Elizabeth Class Carriers Have Woefully Inadequate Close-In Air Defense Capabilities

The Ministry of Defense seems to have skimped on the carriers' ability to fend off anti-ship cruise missile barrages.

There are an endless number of opinions regarding the relevancy, operational feasibility, and overall opportunity cost of the UK's two new Queen Elizabeth class supercarriers, and the ship's capabilities are always part of this debate as well. But one thing seems glaringly clear—these massive vessels are woefully lacking when it comes to their ability to defend themselves from an anti-ship missile barrage.

These mighty ships displace 70,000 tons, will deploy with over 1,500 souls onboard, and will carry dozens of aircraft that collectively cost billions of dollars, yet they are only equipped with three Mk15 Phalanx close-in weapon systems (CIWS), with each covering a slice of airspace surrounding the vessel. The decades old Phalanx remains a capable system in its upgraded form, especially against traditional anti-ship cruise missiles and small unmanned aircraft. It can engage small surface threats as well. But it also suffers from limited magazine depth, highly limited reach, and is not that well suited to defend the ship against higher-end supersonic and stealthy cruise missiles that are now proliferating around the globe.

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WNU Editor: Can someone say "sitting duck"?

Amateur Drone Operator Was Able To Land His Drone On Britain's Newest Aircraft Carrier

Daily Mail: Big Lizzie outflanked by a £300 drone: Astonishing moment pilot is able to fly his tiny aircraft over the Royal Navy's most advanced warship before LANDING on the deck (and then taking off again!)

* Costing £3.1billion and weighing 65,000 tonnes, she's Britain's biggest and most advanced warship ever
* But HMS Queen Elizabeth has been outmanoevred by a £300 drone which landed on the deck unchallenged
* The drone pilot, who wanted to remain anonymous, made the daring flight while the carrier was docked
* The flight may now be discussed in Scotland's Parliament by MSPs who are concerned about security flaws

Costing £3.1billion and weighing 65,000 tonnes, she's Britain's biggest and most advanced warship ever built.

But HMS Queen Elizabeth has been outmanoevred by a £300 drone which landed on the deck completely unchallenged.

The drone pilot, who wanted to remain anonymous, made the daring flight while the aircraft carrier was docked at Invergordon, Scotland in July.

He flew over the carrier before touching down on the four-acre deck and then taking off again unchecked.

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WNU Editor: This security breach is probably not going to happen again.

More News On An Amateur Drone Operator Being Able To Land His Drone On Britain's Newest Aircraft Carrier

Tiny drone lands on Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier -- BBC
Drone enthusiast 'amazed' as he lands device on deck of £3bn HMS Queen Elizabeth without being detected -- The Telegraph
Amateur Drone Lands on the U.K.'s New Aircraft Carrier, No One Even Notices -- Popular Mechanics
An amateur drone pilot managed to land on the new Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier completely unnoticed -- Business Insider
Largest UK Navy carrier security under review after amateur lands drone on deck undetected -- RT
A drone landed on Britain's biggest warship and nobody cared -- Endgadget
Ministry of Defence ups security after drone lands on £3bn Queen Elizabeth warship -- International Business Times

Is Britain's Newest Aircraft Carrier Running Its Software On Windows XP?

HMS Queen Elizabeth leaves for its maiden sea trials.Aircraft Carrier Alliance

Popular Mechanics: Does Britain's Big New Warship Still Run Windows XP?

HMS Queen Elizabeth is impressive. Her software is not.

HMS Queen Elizabeth, the Royal Navy's newest vessel and the largest one ever built in the United Kingdom, is an impressive ship. Nine hundred and nineteen feet long with a crew of 1,600, the ship can carry up to 40 aircraft. Queen Elizabeth and her sister ship, Prince of Wales, will form the UK's main expeditionary force at sea, sailing into hotspots with their decks full of F-35 Joint Strike Fighters.

Oh, and Queen Elizabeth also runs Windows XP.

The brand new carrier left its dockyard in Rosyth for the first time on Monday, where it was assembled from subsections built all over the UK. The London-based newspaper The Guardian reported that computers running the positively ancient PC operating system were spotted on the carrier during a tour.

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WNU Editor: Maybe not .... Claims the Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier is using Windows XP may not be what they seem (Wired).

More News On Reports That Britain's Newest Aircraft Carrier Is Running Its Software On Windows XP

HMS Queen Elizabeth could be vulnerable to cyber-attack -- The Guardian
Britain's new £3 billion aircraft carrier is reportedly running on Windows XP -- Business Insider
Microsoft Windows XP Spotted Aboard the UK's Newest War Ship -- Fortune
Britain's New Aircraft Carrier Reportedly Runs on Windows XP -- National Interest/Task & Purpose

Inside The Royal Navy’s Largest Ever Warship, The Aircraft Carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth (Video)

Britain's Newest Aircraft Carrier Has No Planes. Flight Crews Are Practising With 'Dummy Planes'

HMS Queen Elizabeth is seen with HMS Sutherland and HMS Iron Duke. The aircraft carrier proudly hit the waters earlier this week - but currently its crew only has replica planes to practise with

Daily Mail: It's a BAREcraft carrier! UK's new £3.1bn warship dubbed Big Lizzie heads to the North Sea for six weeks of testing with empty decks and NO planes to transport

* Replicas of the F-35 Lightning II jets were delivered to RNAS Culdroe so crews can practise pushing them
* Despite their convincing appearances the models at the Cornwall base lack engines, sensors or weapons
* But naval personnel will get used to moving bigger, heavier aircraft than they ever have done before
* HMS Queen Elizabeth - Britain's biggest-ever warship - was deployed in Firth, Scotland, earlier this week

The £3.1billion HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier was today photographed making its way to the North Sea - with no planes on board.

Instead, life-size models of the F-35 Lightning II jets will be pushed around tarmac at Cornwall's RNAS Culdrose so flight deck teams can get a feel for the world's most advanced warplanes.

The real jets will be deployed on the 65,000-tonne vessel - named 'Big Lizzie' - which was put into the sea for the first time in Scotland on Monday.

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WNU Editor: HMS Queen Elizabeth does look impressive on the open sea.

HMS Queen Elizabeth Set Sail For The First Time Today

Popular Mechanics: Britain's Biggest Warship Finally Sets Sail

With "four acres of sovereign territory," the HMS Queen Elizabeth will launch U.S. F-35Bs during its first years of service.

The HMS Queen Elizabeth, Britain's biggest warship ever, set sail for the first time today, three years after the U.K. decommissioned its last carrier, the HMS Illustrious, in 2014. The Royal Navy calls it "four acres of sovereign territory, deployable across the globe to serve the United Kingdom."

At 65,000 tons and 920 feet, the Queen Elizabeth is a giant compared to the Illustrious, which weighed barely one-third as much and was only 690 feet long. She's also bigger than the 45,000-ton HMS Vanguard, Britain's biggest battleship launched toward the end of World War II.

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More News On The HMS Queen Elizabeth Setting Sail For The First Time Today

HMS Queen Elizabeth sets sail from Rosyth for sea trials -- BBC
British Navy’s aircraft carrier sets sail for first sea trials -- Defense News
Royal Navy’s new £3bn aircraft carrier sets sail for first time -- Financial Times
HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier sets sail for sea trials -- The Independent
New British carrier enters sea trials -- UPI
UK's New Aircraft Carrier Sets Sail for First Time -- Military.com/AFP
Controversial £3bn aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth finally set for sea trials -- RT
The Carrier That's Supposed To Revitalize The British Navy Is Finally Going Out To Sea -- Foxtrot Alpha
Britain Launches Biggest Warship Ever - HMS Queen Elizabeth -- Newsweek
All You Need To Know About The Royal Navy's New Carrier And Its Maiden Voyage -- The Drive

The British Navy's Newest Aircraft Carrier Is About To Set Sail For The First Time

The Guardian: HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier takes to the seas

The £3.5bn cost of the vessel is so high that doubts have been raised over whether the Royal Navy can afford enough fighters for it

Captain Jerry Kyd seems remarkably relaxed given he is scheduled on Monday to take to sea for the first time one of the biggest and most expensive defence projects in British history, the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth.

To reach open sea, he will have to conduct two complicated manoeuvres, firstly to take it from the Rosyth dockyard basin where the carrier was built and then under the three Forth bridges. The calculations are fine but the prospect of miscalculation does not appear to scare him.

As well as all the electronic devices available to him, he will make a gesture towards tradition, conducting a final check with an instrument used by mariners since at least the 18th century, a sextant, before heading under the bridges.

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Update: Royal Navy's largest ever warship, HMS Queen Elizabeth, to set sail (SKY News)

WNU Editor: The Russians are going to be watching .... Russia is set to start huge spying mission on Navy's newest aircraft carrier the moment £3billion ship sets sail for the first time (Daily Mail).

HMS Queen Elizabeth Was Officially Named By Queen Elizabeth

'I Name This Ship... After Myself': Queen Uses Bottle Of WHISKY To Officially Name Giant 65,000-Tonne Vessel That Is The Royal Navy's Great White Hope -- Daily Mail

* HMS Queen Elizabeth was officially named by the monarch at ceremony in Rosyth Dockyard, Fife
* Her Majesty described the ship, which will carry fighter jets and helicopters around the world, as 'source of inspiration'
* She pressed a button to release bottle of Isle of Islay malt whisky to 'christen' ship rather than traditional champagne
* Bowmore distillery provided its 'Bowmore Surf' whisky for the ceremony to celebrate Scottish links
* 65,000-tonne aircraft carrier is the Royal Navy's largest ever ship, and will become fully operational by 2020

The Queen has ushered in a new era of British naval power by naming the Royal Navy's biggest ever ship after herself.

In a ceremony at Rosyth Dockyard in Fife,the Queen gave the signal for a bottle of whiskey to be smashed against the hull of the 65,000-tonne vessel, confirming its title as HMS Queen Elizabeth.

The monarch, wearing pale blue, spoke of her pride at being associated with the Royal Navy, and called the huge ship a 'magnificent achievement'.

In the run-up to the Queen's action the red arrows made a dramatic flypast in front of dignitaries including the Duke of Edinburgh and the Prime Minister.

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My Comment: No planes, no support/escort ships, no money for operations, and she will probably be sunk very quickly in a major war .... but she is a nice aircraft carrier.

Inside Brand New Aircraft Carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth

Britannia Rules The Waves: Inside Brand New Aircraft Carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth That Boasts 33-Ton Propellers Twice The Size Of A Double Decker Bus And A Four Acre Deck -- Daily Mail

* HMS Queen Elizabeth is Britain's biggest engineering project
* Two 33-ton propellers are twice the height of a double decker bus
* The carrier will finally take to the water next month when the Queen visits

Standing on the bridge of the mighty HMS Queen Elizabeth, it is the sheer scale of the largest warship in Royal Navy history that hits you.

This hi-tech batcave commands a view that runs for miles from Rosyth, Fife, beyond the seemingly endless flight deck of our newest aircraft carrier and taking in the Forth Bridges and a hazy Edinburgh city centre to the east to the Grangemouth refinery and the Ochils in the west.

And yet, given that this is Britain’s biggest engineering project, one has to fight hard not to laugh out loud at the comical size of the ship’s tiny steering wheel.

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My Comment: No planes (yet .... maybe), no escort ships, no money for operations .... but it is a nice aircraft carrier.

Images Show Aircraft Carrier Scale For Britain's HMS Queen Elizabeth

Artists impression of HMS QUEEN ELIZABTH at Parliament

Stunning Images Show Aircraft Carrier Scale -- Shifting Times

The team behind the Navy’s future flagships have produced a series of stunning posters to demonstrate the sheer scale of the carriers – including parking one on the Thames outside Parliament. To give the public an idea of the sense of scale of HMS Queen Elizabeth and Prince of Wales, they put one on the Thames next to the Palace of Westminster and another at Victory Jetty in Portsmouth.

Dwarfing the mother of all parliaments, this is how the nation’s future flagship would look if you could sail her up the Thames to the Palace of Westminster.

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WNU Editor: In comparison to US carriers, check out the graphic scale below.

New £4bn Aircraft Carriers 'At Expense Of Troop Budgets'

USS John C Stennis and the HMS Invincible
(From The Telegraph)

Defence chiefs have faced criticism over a decision to spend £4bn on two new aircraft carriers at a time when troops in Iraq and Afghanistan are severely overstretched.

The deal for the vessels, the first of which, Queen Elizabeth, is due into operation in 2014, was signed onboard in Portsmouth on Thursday.

Defence Secretary Des Browne said it represented "a historic day" for the military and would ensure Britain maintained its "world-class capabilities".

But critics say the project comes at the expense of hard-pressed troops fighting a war on two fronts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

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More News On The U.K. Navy:
UK government signs aircraft carrier contracts worth 3 bln pounds -- Forbes
MoD signs $3bln of contracts for aircraft carriers -- AFP
Giant aircraft carriers to be built -- The Guardian
Carrier jobs joy but is cost too high? -- The Scotsman
Biggest ships ever built for Royal Navy -- Portsmouth
FACTBOX-Royal Navy's new aircraft carriers -- Reuters

My Comment: Spend the money on the war that you are fighting now .... not the war that you may fight a decade later. U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has realized this, firing the U.S. Air Force chiefs when soldiers in the field started to complain that the U.S. Air Force were not delivering the support that they needed.

Its great to have dozens of F-22 fighter jets, but they are totally useless fighting the war that U.S. forces are fighting now. The U.S. brass now realize that .... the U.K. brass have a different point of view.

My gut tells me that British soldiers in the mountains of Afghanistan are feeling left out right now.