Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers - News and Discussion

[WhiteWhale]

Have we seen any Apaches on Big Liz yet? With all the talk of ciws etc those monsters do tend to get overlooked.

[SDL]

I don't think we have...

[benny14]

Also are they not having a joint RM USMC exercise with the merlins & chinooks?

Yes. L Company (Joint Personnel Recovery), 42 Commando is onboard. Commando aviation assault ex, and JPR integration training.

Have we seen any Apaches on Big Liz yet? With all the talk of ciws etc those monsters do tend to get overlooked.

Chinook and Merlin trials are enough to qualify Apache. But it does not seem that any are going on QE for this trip.

656 Sqn - Overwater training late August in the UK.
664 Sqn - Deploying to Oman (Saif Sareea 3)

662 Sqn - Deep Strike training in Wales.
663 Sqn - High readiness. I think 16 AA assigned.

[SKB]

Yes. L Company (Joint Personnel Recovery), 42 Commando is onboard. Commando aviation assault ex, and JPR integration training.

[SKB]

Morning. QE's AIS is switched on....


(clarkiiboy09) Saturday 11th August 2018

RO8 alongside the Princess Royal Jetty in Portsmouth ahead of her deployment to the US Coast for F-35 trails as well as various port visits.

[SKB]

Hmm. Maybe not today then. QHM Portsmouth doesn't have QE listed for departure for today or tomorrow. But may change.

[serge750]

Think your right, no point rushing after people shore leave has ended... probably a lot of tearful & fairwell hangovers !

[SKB]

[SKB]

Enjoy the journey of the new ships piano through QE to its new home!....
Use volume control if silent.



(Graham Nicholls, Bedhampton Pianoshop) August 2018
https://www.facebook.com/bedhamptonpianoshop

[abc123]

Enjoy the journey of the new ships piano through QE to its new home!....

(Graham Nicholls, Bedhampton Pianoshop) August 2018
https://www.facebook.com/bedhamptonpianoshop

Interesting, but can't compete with the story I heard in one monastery where they had delivered a piano in 19th Century, with 8 people carryng it on their backs and nineth with wine refueling them along the way ( about 1 km uphill ).

[CameronPerson]

[SKB]

The next two daytime high tides for Portsmouth Harbour are:
Tuesday 14th August 2018 - 14:31 (125% Spring Tide)
Wednesday 15th August - 15:30 (115% Spring Tide)
https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/qhm/portsm ... ide-tables

[benny14]

The next two daytime high tides for Portsmouth Harbour are:
Tuesday 14th August 2018 - 14:31 (125% Spring Tide)
Wednesday 15th August - 15:30 (115% Spring Tide)

Wednesday or Thursday is my bet.

Do we know which T23 is heading out with her? Current available ships are:
HMS St Albans (Tail)
HMS Westminster (Tail)
HMS Montrose
HMS Monmouth

HMS Dragon is apparently going out soon, might be going out to the Gulf though.

RFA Tidespring is likely the support ship. She started heading down from Scotland two days ago.

[swoop]

Now there's a real reason for catapults... getting rid of pianos from on board ship.

[Gabriele]

I believe the plan was to send HMS Montrose. Might still have changed, though.

[hovematlot]

Wonder if Tidespring is going with her. Had her tracking south in The Irish Sea then she switched her AIS off. Although Queen Elizabeth and T23 escort have the range to get over there easily, QNLZ charging around getting wind over the deck for the F-35B trials might need a lot of juice

PS I notice the steps are back!

[CameronPerson]

[SKB]

[CameronPerson]

[SKB]

QHM Portsmouth update just out. No QE departure currently listed for today or tomorrow.
https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/qhm/portsm ... -movements

[QEC Eye in the SKY]

I've only just noticed this, and its one for site admin. Can you advise why we're not have a safe site protected by SSL like the vast majority of websites now?

Cheers.

[benny14]

[Digger22]

Why the need to conduct these trials off the U.S. Coast? Is this because we don't have enough F35 in the UK? or they 'can't' be spared? Or inter service stuff? With QE going over there soon, are the next 5 F35 being shipped back aboard her or being flown back at huge expense?

[SKB]

If I read and remember this right (from the F-35B thread), the test F-35's (so-called "Orange Wire" F-35's), with their extra test systems are a US only thing. Thats why QE is going to the US, to trial test F-35's on the QE. The RAF and FAA have the operational version of the F-35, not the test ones.

[-Eddie-]

The F-35s are US ones because they're part of a pool of instrument test aircraft that includes 3 UK F-35B. The reason for using US F-35B is because the UK ones are on the west coast, and it'd be a lot of effort to bring them over when identical pool aircraft are on the east coast.

Anyway... flight deck view of the Merlins landing.