HMS Queen Elizabeth class CVFs (updates)

[Admiral John Byng]

If anything, QE is even more outlandish than the computer generated images suggested. The islands are fitted outboard on Sponsons, slightly reminiscent of Bearn. Not exactly the fine lines of the WWII Illustrious class! But that makes for lots of deck space and (presumably) internal space.

[dragon53]

Russia says HMS Queen Elizabeth is a "convenient target".


Link: https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/russia- ... nt-target/

[Admiral John Byng]

True at the moment, no aircraft and lack of armament on such a big ship is a real concern. The much smaller Cavour has AA missiles which I hope the RN will consider adding during refit. I am sure she will get Phalanx but such a high value target needs a bit of extra insurance.

It is good to see her finally sailing!

[Haijun watcher]

I seem to recall another thread that mentioned that RN subs have the same problem:

Popular Mechanics

Britain's Big New Warship Still Runs Windows XP

HMS Queen Elizabeth is impressive. Her software is not.

Getty Jeff J. Mitchell
By Kyle Mizokami
Jun 28, 2017

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.

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.
(...SNIPPED)

[Timmy C]

QE won't be running XP, nor indeed any version of Windows - only the contractors' testing equipment are: https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/new-air ... indows-xp/

QE and, gradually, the rest of the fleet will be running BAE's proprietary operating system.

[Haijun watcher]

UK Defence Journal

First aircraft land on aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth
By
George Allison -
July 3, 2017

A Merlin helicopter has become first aircraft to land on HMS Queen Elizabeth.

The Royal Navy have announced the first in a series of aviation milestones for the supercarrier. According to the Royal Navy it fell to 26-year-old pilot Lieutenant Luke Wraith from Yorkshire to set the 14-tonne helicopter safely down on the aircraft carrier.

Lt Wraith, of 820 Naval Air Squadron said:

�I was pretty nervous � not about making a safe landing, but knowing that every other pilot in the Navy would watch the footage and critique it.

(...SNIPPED)

[MartinL]

I think i got lucky. About 2300 hrs last night i had a quick check and she seemed to be running high speed trials. i took a picture of the highest speed obtained .. slightly exceeding design peramiters.. WP_20170703_011 by martin_lait, on Flickr

[Admiral John Byng]

26.2 knots is, on the face of it not very fast. It is interesting that high speed is no longer a priority when building warships. In the past enormous efforts went into getting the highest possible speed from destroyers and carriers due to the need to be able to deploy their weapons at the earliest possible moment or evade attack.

I assume that in these times of longer range sensors and weapons, coupled with the impossibility of outrunning an anti-ship missile, high speed does not have the value that it used to.

[FrancisMcN]

i took a picture of the highest speed obtained .. slightly exceeding design peramiters..

Depends on what the tidal stream was at the time of course

[pgollin]

she is powered by gas turbines so are gas guzzlers at high speed. the americans don't have that problem with their nuke powered carriers.

Not really, Gas Turbines are, simplistically, most efficient at top speed where they are very good. THAT is why multiple GT ships with electric drive are good when the number of turbines can be matched to required speed, so cruise may be just one or two GTs running at top speed. Having one large GT running at half speed, or less, is very inefficient.

.

[Admiral John Byng]

Found this video of her moving out of her berth.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/vid ... deo-report

[Haijun watcher]

UK Defence Journal

HMS Queen Elizabeth exceeds stated maximum speed on trials
By
George Allison -
July 24, 2017

According to BAE, HMS Queen Elizabeth has a maximum speed of 25 knots but typically in projects like this these maximums are understated.

The 70,600 tonne vessel reached a speed of 27.1 knots according to AIS.

The automatic identification system (AIS) is a tracking system used for collision avoidance on ships and by vessel traffic services. Information provided by AIS equipment, such as unique identification, position, course, and speed, can be displayed on a screen or in a simpler format on many websites.(...SNIPPED)

[FrancisMcN]

As I said earlier, unless you have allowed for the tidal stream at the time, a single snapshot of speed over the ground (which is what I assume the AIS is broadcasting) is not telling you what the ship's speed is through the water

[Timmy C]

QE to arrive in Portsmouth next weekend: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/brit ... -announces

Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon has announced that Britain�s iconic HMS Queen Elizabeth Carrier is set to enter her new home in Portsmouth in around two weeks� time.

The 65,000-tonne Carrier, the biggest warship ever to be built in Britain, has been undergoing sea trials since setting sail from Scotland�s Rosyth dockyard in June. She is now set to make her historic arrival into Portsmouth, where she will be the latest in a long line of famous Royal Navy ships to call the port home.

Whilst weather conditions mean the exact date of the historic moment is yet to be confirmed, the window for entry will open next Thursday (17/08), with her arrival expected to be no later than the following Tuesday (22/08).

[Admiral John Byng]

Cybermodeler has her in today's pic of the day:

https://www.cybermodeler.com/

[Timmy C]

I've rehosted some of the better photos in this album from the rather difficult-to-link MoD image bank: http://imgur.com/a/NfxxH

[MartinJQuinn]

I've rehosted some of the better photos in this album from the rather difficult-to-link MoD image bank: http://imgur.com/a/NfxxH

The pictures almost look fake!

[dragon53]

HMS Queen Elizabeth and USS George HW Bush.


Link: http://www.businessinsider.com/hms-quee ... sh-coast-1

[Timmy C]

QE will be entering Portsmouth at 0710 on Wednesday the 16th, confirmed by the RN: https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/confirm ... ign=social

[Admiral John Byng]

Security does not seem to be high on the list of priorities:

http://gcaptain.com/drone-lands-on-hms-queen-elizabeth/