Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers - News and Discussion

[Old RN]

HMS Queen Elizabeth will not be fitted with 4 x 30 mm cannons as previously planned

If that is so where are they installing the 8 x 30mm cannons and optical trackers that were ordered and presumably have been built?

[RichardIC]

[Poiuytrewq]

Looks like it will be eighteen F35's.

[Defiance]

3 more jets than the Q4 2020 deployment and with a better ratio of UK:US jets - 1:1.25 compared to 1:2

[The Armchair Soldier]

Can someone tell me how many Britains f35 and American f35 will be embarked on CSG 21 ,if someone knows ,or might be a secret yet ? I know last time we both trained think was only 5 British f35b and loads of helicopters and 9 USMC f35b but please correct me if wrong , cheers

See above.

[xav]

UK Announces Record Size And Scope Of Carrier Strike Group Deployment

The largest concentration of maritime and air power to the UK in a generation will set sail next month, visiting more than 40 countries.
The UK Carrier Strike Group’s globe-spanning maiden deployment will feature visits to India, Japan, Republic of Korea and Singapore, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace will announce.

Mr Wallace will set out to Parliament the formidable size of the UK Carrier Strike Group, which will be led by new aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth.

On a 28-week deployment spanning 26,000 nautical miles, the Carrier Strike Group will conduct engagements with Singapore, the Republic of Korea, Japan and India as part of the UK’s tilt towards the Indo-Pacific region. Units from the Carrier Strike Group are expected to visit more than 40 countries and undertake over 70 engagements.

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/20 ... eployment/

[Ron5]

So who is the doofus? Doesn't look like Sharkey Ward.

[RichardIC]

So who is the doofus?

@bbcnickrobinson

You wouldn't know him.

[Enigmatically]

So who is the doofus? Doesn't look like Sharkey Ward.

I don't think they'd let him on

Though Nick Robinson can be pretty negative at times.

Fairly hefty task group in the end. Enough to give someone a headache anyway. Nice to see a dutch escort.

p.s. yeah I know I've been away for a long time. Been busy

[bobp]

p.s. yeah I know I've been away for a long time. Been busy

Welcome back always enjoyed your informative posts.

[Enigmatically]

p.s. yeah I know I've been away for a long time. Been busy

Welcome back always enjoyed your informative posts.

Only a brief return I'm afraid. The next lot of warships won't build themselves you know.

Just thought I'd see what you reckoned to today's little soiree.

[Max Jones]

I've been hearing a drop in Merlin numbers from 12 to 10 (lost a couple HM2s). Bit of a shame but the additional 4 F-35Bs seem to balance it out nicely.

[Jdam]

Looks like our F-35 will go out with the full Air 2 Air capability. I haven't seen a lot of photos of our F-35 with external weapons since we got them to the UK.

What does the doctrine say about the USMC, will they be using ASRAAM or are they bringing sidewinder?

[Max Jones]

What does the doctrine say about the USMC, will they be using ASRAAM or are they bringing sidewinder?

I think they are bringing their own weapons - probably Sidewinder instead of ASRAAM and possibly a different AMRAAM variant but generally a good thing since they have more varied air-to-ground options like gun pods, wider bomb variations and possibly some missile systems.
Should mean a bit more flexibility in that department.

[Max Jones]

Sea Venom for Wildcats on CSG21:

[Timmymagic]

HMS Queen Elizabeth will not be fitted with 4 x 30 mm cannons as previously planned

If that is so where are they installing the 8 x 30mm cannons and optical trackers that were ordered and presumably have been built?

Thats a very good question. They were ordered in 2016, 12 more mounts (8 for QE and PoW and 4 for B2 Rivers, presumably there was 1 spare for the other B2 River). So it looks like there are 7-8 ASCG mounts floating around....not enough to replace the DS.30B on every T45 either.

MSI and MoD did have a bit of a legal tussle in 2019 though over a maintenance procurement that went wrong..

All in all very odd...

[SKB]

So who is the doofus? Doesn't look like Sharkey Ward.

Nick Robinson, BBC "journalist/presenter"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Robi ... ournalist)

[Jensy]

With the Wildcats going on the escorts, I wonder if anything is going to be operated from the RFAs? Fort Victoria could happily take three Merlins and Tidespring one more.

[bobp]

QE hangar deck yesterday.

Nice try

[serge750]

Wonder if any F35 gun pods will go astray ....

Can't wait to see her with the CdeG

[serge750]

I've been hearing a drop in Merlin numbers from 12 to 10 (lost a couple HM2s). Bit of a shame but the additional 4 F-35Bs seem to balance it out nicely.

The drop in HM2 could it be that they are not counting the couple used as Crowsnest ASaC ?

[bobp]

Only a brief return I'm afraid. The next lot of warships won't build themselves you know.

Yes I appreciate that you are busy, may we know what your next project is? Its good to see the QE getting ready for its major deployment, its taken a few years to get where it is. And I am sure we will hear some great stories about her as she goes on her travels.

[Max Jones]

I've been hearing a drop in Merlin numbers from 12 to 10 (lost a couple HM2s). Bit of a shame but the additional 4 F-35Bs seem to balance it out nicely.

The drop in HM2 could it be that they are not counting the couple used as Crowsnest ASaC ?

Originally it was nine HM2s, in a 6+3 combination of ASW to AEW. Now they are just saying 7 split between both so presumably 4+3 or maybe the kits will move between airframes.

[Caribbean]

QE hangar deck yesterday.

Nice try

The closing scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark, isn't it?

[Timmymagic]

With the Wildcats going on the escorts, I wonder if anything is going to be operated from the RFAs? Fort Victoria could happily take three Merlins and Tidespring one more.

Looks like they might be centralising Merlin operations on the QE on this trip. Otherwise I'd have expected to see the Merlin Mk.4 on the Fort Vic and Tidespring.