HMS Queen Elizabeth sailed from Portsmouth this morning to conduct a second set of rotary-wing flying trials. Her sailing had been delayed by a few days after a defect with the power system emerged. This was quickly rectified and the delay will not affect her overall programme for this year.
She has been alongside for the last 13 weeks for a “Capability Insertion Period” during which time engineers have been working hard to upgrade her systems and carry out planned maintenance tasks. This included painting the non-slip coating on sections of her deck – something planned to be done in stages, every time she’s alongside.
30 BAE Systems engineers have sailed with the ship and will continue to carry out work onboard during the 2-3 weeks away. Their focus working on setting-to, testing and fine-tuning systems to support the F-35 flying trials which will be conducted later this year.
Note the large new ship’s crests installed on the port and starboard side of the after island
The first four 617 Squadron F-35s arrived in the UK this week and many have assumed they will join quickly the ship but operational aircraft will not embark on the ship until late 2019 at the earliest. 617 Squadron will receive the remaining aircraft to bring it up to its strength of around 12 aircraft by the end of 2018. Its initial focus will be flying from RAF Marham on land-based training, aiming for formal Initial Operating Capability (IOC/Land) to be declared in by December. Specially instrumented F-35s will be the first to land on board QE when the ship is off the Eastern Seaboard of the US in the autumn.
Phase 1 helicopter trials with the Merlin and Chinook were a success, Apache and Wildcat have yet to be cleared to operate and it is assumed they will participate in the phase 2 trails. The flying serials are used to write the Ship Helicopter Operating Limits (SHOL) which define the safe operating envelope for each aircraft type flying from the QEC carriers.
QE will return home sometime in July to begin preparations for the trip to the United States. QE is due to visit New York, probably in September and will be escorted on the deployment by Type 23 frigate HMS Montrose. Press reports that F-35s will perform a demonstration landing on board QE in Portsmouth for the visit Donald Trump on 13th July should be taken with a very large pinch of salt!
Notice wind turbulence sensor aerial installed on the forward flight deck for use in gathering data for the flight trials.
Round Tower and Old Portsmouth dwarfed by the mighty ship. Will aircraft carrier movements in an out of Portsmouth ever become “routine”?
Photos: BAE Systems
from Save the Royal Navy https://www.savetheroyalnavy.org/hms-queen-elizabeth-sails-for-part-ii-helicopter-trials/
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