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HMS Queen Elizabeth (R08)

2017 MODERN NAVY

HMS Queen Elizabeth (R08) History

The aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth (R08) is leading the new two-person Queen Elizabeth-class carrier, which will be joined by HMS Prince of Wales (R09) as the Royal Navy unveils its Cold War-era design as a team designed for smaller forces left and doctrine designed for limited conflict. These types represent an entirely new generation of carriers for one of the most traditional navies in the world, and are expected to enter service in 2016 and 2018, respectively.

Unlike modern American Airlines, the Queen Elizabeth class will be conventionally powered (as opposed to nuclear) and will feature an in-line flight deck (rather than a specially angled reception deck) and two island superstructures (rather than one).

Aircraft carrier forces in modern conflicts were driven home by the British during the Falklands War (1982) with Argentina. The war proved a British victory and made extensive use of the revolutionary Hawksidley Harrier Vertical/Short Takeoff and Landing (V/STOL) aircraft, which were regularly used against Argentine targets and air combat patrols teams (CAPs). The war lasted just over two months, with 255 British dead and 649 Argentine losses (and 11,300 prisoners).

Air superiority played an important role, and the aircraft carrier did its due diligence as a mobile support station.

HMS Queen Elizabeth was ordered on 20 May 2008 to be delivered to prime contractor BAe Systems Surface Ships, with support from Thales and Babcock Marine. Her keel was laid on July 7, 2009, and is expected to be launched sometime in 2017. Commissioning is planned for 2018.

Her home port will be HMNB Portsmouth in south-central England, with unrestricted access to the key seaway in the English Channel between southern England and northern France. Her assigned battle motto is "Semper Eadem", which translates from Latin as "Consistently". As of 2013, the ship is still under construction. She was the second Royal Navy ship to be named HMS Queen Elizabeth, the first being the battleship HMS Queen Elizabeth in 1913.

CVA-01 was originally intended to be an aircraft carrier, named HMS Queen Elizabeth, but this effort failed.

When built, HMS Queen Elizabeth had a displacement of 64,600 long tons, a barrel length of 932 feet, a beam of 240 feet, and a draft of 36 feet. Her crew will be in the range of 600 people.

Both the island superstructure and the aircraft lift will be placed along the starboard side, with the center and port sides of the surface deck reserved for fixed and rotorcraft launch and retrieval (possibly assuming small UAS support). Below the cockpit are mechanical equipment, living quarters, ammunition depots, storage rooms, fuel depots and operations.

Electric transport made supply management easier to speed up resupply of wartime aircraft.

Currently, the ship is believed to be carrying F-35B Lightning II (subject to any government budget cuts) and Lynx Wildcat Utility/ASW attack aircraft, Boeing Chinook tandem twin-rotor transport aircraft, AgustaWestlant (Boeing) Apache Attack and AgustaWestland AW101 Merlin Transport /ASW helicopter. The carrier is designed to support a crew of 40 aircraft, while its state-of-the-art and technologically advanced systems and processing stations ensure optimum efficiency when launching and recovering aircraft at high speeds (critical in wartime conditions).

HMS Queen Elizabeth will be a conventionally powered surface vessel powered by 2 Rolls-Royce Ocean Trent MT30 gas turbines of 48,000 hp each and 2 Wartsila diesel generators of 15,000 hp each Provides power and is connected to 2 Huaxilan diesel generators each 12,000 hp. Top speed is 25 knots and range is approximately 11,800 miles.

While her wings will constitute her primary "weapon" in all respects, the warship will also be equipped with rudimentary defenses to protect her from aerial threats. These include a 2 x 20mm Phalanx Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) and support for Aster surface-to-air missiles via launcher mounts.

Plans include multiple 30mm automatic cannon mounts as well as melee miniguns, as the threat from high-speed light suicide vehicles could still come from irregular enemy forces. In addition, the defense system will defend against both cruise missiles and cruise missiles, and further defenses will be reinforced by any accompanying fleet ships stationed on the carrier.