HMS Queen Elizabeth (CVF)

HMS "Queen Elizabeth" will be the first of the Royal Navy's two new "Queen Elizabeth" class aircraft carriers and is scheduled to enter service in 2014.cite hansard | url= | house=House of Commons | date=2007-07-25] She will be the second ship to be called HMS "Queen Elizabeth", after Queen Elizabeth I.

"Queen Elizabeth" and her sister ship ("Prince of Wales") will be the largest warships ever built in the United Kingdom. They are multi-purpose carriers that can adapt to complete multiple roles. It will be capable of carrying 40 aircraft (the F-35B Lightning II) or 25 Chinook helicopters, a major capability upgrade from the current "Invincible" class carriers.

The ships will be built in four sections, at Portsmouth, Rosyth, Barrow-in-Furness, and on the Clyde, by BAE Systems and VT Group before being assembled in the Firth of Forth at Rosyth Royal Dockyard. Number One dry dock at Rosyth is currently undergoing modifications to accommodate HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales. cite web |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/07/26/ncarrier126.xml |title= £4bn carriers 'will be jewel in Navy's crown' |accessdate=2007-07-27 |last=Harding |first=Thomas |date=2007-07-26 |work=The Daily Telegraph |publisher=Telegraph Media Group Ltd ]

The aircraft currently selected to be used on these carriers are the Short Take Off Vertical Landing (STOVL) variant of the F-35 Lightning II. Initially the carrier will be fitted with a ski-jump ramp but in the future, the flight deck will have the provision to be converted to use a catapult launch and arrestor recovery system should the UK choose to operate the conventional F-35C or an unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) similar to the X-47 Pegasus.

Defence Secretary Des Browne confirmed the £3.8bn order for the two carriers on 25 July 2007. The news was welcomed by politicians, trade unions and business. Both ships of the class will be based at HMNB Portsmouth.Fact|date=November 2007

The naming of the ship as "Queen Elizabeth" will see a situation identical to that between 1940 and 1948 - during those years, Cunard's "Queen Elizabeth" was in service at the same time as the Royal Navy battleship "Queen Elizabeth". In 2010, two years before this ship joins the fleet, Cunard plans to introduce into service the new cruise liner "Queen Elizabeth".

ee also

* HMS "Queen Elizabeth" for other ships of this name.
* The Royal Navy in the 21st Century

References