HMS Queen Elizabeth Docks in Portsmouth – But She’s Not Battle-Ready Yet!
After a show-stopping arrival in Portsmouth on Wednesday, HMS Queen Elizabeth is now safely moored alongside Princess Royal Jetty. The massive carrier looks almost finished, but there’s still a mountain of work ahead before she joins the Royal Navy’s frontline fleet.
Big Betty’s PR Triumph for the Royal Navy
While HMS Queen Elizabeth is more a symbol than a fully combat-ready warship right now, her arrival was a huge public relations win for the Royal Navy. The Senior Service has been in the shadows lately, with the spotlight firmly on army operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. This dazzling debut puts naval power back on the map.
Countdown to Commissioning and Naming Ceremonies
- HMS Prince of Wales, Queen Elizabeth’s sister ship, will be officially named at Rosyth on 8th September.
- Big Betty’s commissioning is expected just before Christmas in Portsmouth, with the Queen herself set to attend.
- The commissioning date has been expedited from 2018 to boost media focus on the carrier project and the Royal Navy.
Still Under Construction: Trials and Training Ahead
Owned by her builders, HMS Queen Elizabeth has only completed phase one of her trials – focusing on engines, steering, and machinery – all reportedly successful. By arriving early in Portsmouth, her crew can enjoy some well-earned summer leave and skip a tricky docking back in Rosyth.
She’ll stay in Portsmouth for about eight weeks for essential engineering tweaks and to fix any issues found during tests. In autumn, phase two trials kick off, shifting focus to mission systems, radars, communications, and electronics.
At this stage, “Big Betty” is still more ship than warship. She hasn’t been fitted with self-defence decoys, close-in weapon systems (CIWS), and carries only light machine guns.
The Long Road to Full Combat Power
Even after commissioning, HMS Queen Elizabeth’s crew face months of training, Operational Sea Training, and flight trials before initial operating capability can be declared in 2020. Full Carrier Strike capability won’t be reached until 2023.
Next year, 820 Naval Air Squadron will be the first to embark, flying Merlin Mk2 helicopters tasked with anti-submarine warfare — a vital role protecting the carrier from underwater threats.
By late 2018, the first British F-35B Lightning jets will take off and land aboard QE during an eight-week flight testing period off the US east coast – a major milestone on the path to restoring the UK’s carrier strike power.
