HMS Queen Elizabeth (R08)

	HMS Queen Elizabeth, February 2018
History
United Kingdom
Name	Queen Elizabeth
Namesake	Elizabeth I
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	20 May 2008
Builder	Aircraft Carrier Alliance at Rosyth Dockyard
Cost	Programme cost: £6.1 billion; Unit cost: £3 billion;
Laid down	7 July 2009
Launched	17 July 2014
Sponsored by	The Queen; The King;
Christened	4 July 2014
Commissioned	7 December 2017
In service	2020
Homeport	HMNB Portsmouth
Identification	Pennant number: R08; Deck code: Q; IMO number: 4907892; ITU callsign: GQLZ; BFPO Number: 365; BFPO Postcode: BF1 4LG;
Motto	Semper Eadem ("Always the Same")
Honours and; awards	Dardanelles 1915-16; Crete 1941; Sabang 1944; Burma 1944-45;
Status	In active service
Badge
General characteristics
Class and type	Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier
Type	Aircraft supercarrier
Displacement	65,000 tonnes (64,000 long tons; 72,000 short tons)
Length	284 m (932 ft)
Beam	39 m (128 ft) (waterline) 73 m (240 ft) overall
Draught	11 m (36 ft)
Decks	9 decks below the flight deck
Propulsion	GE Integrated electric propulsion powered by two Rolls-Royce Marine 36 MW MT30 gas turbine alternators and four 10 MW diesel engines
Speed	25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph), tested to 32 knots (59 km/h; 37 mph)
Range	10,000 nautical miles (19,000 km)
Boats & landing ; craft carried	2x (36 man) passenger transport boats; 2x Pacific 24 RHIBs;
Capacity	1,600
Troops	250
Complement	679
Sensors and ; processing systems	S1850M long range radar; Type 997 Artisan 3D medium range radar; Ultra Electronics Series 2500 Electro Optical System (EOS);
Armament	3 x Phalanx CIWS; 4 x 30mm DS30M Mk2 guns (for but not with); 6 x Miniguns (retired in 2023 and replaced by Browning .50 caliber heavy machine guns);
Aircraft carried	Planned carrier air wing of up to 24 to 36 F-35B Lightning IIs plus helicopters (65+ aircraft/helicopters may be carried at surge capacity) ; F-35B Lightning II; Chinook; Apache AH MK1; AH-64E Apache Guardian; Merlin HM2 and HC4; Wildcat AH1 and HMA2; Merlin Crowsnest AEW;
Aviation facilities	Hangar below deck; Two aircraft lifts; Refuelling and re-arming facilities; Ski jump;

HMS Queen Elizabeth is the lead ship of the Queen Elizabeth class of aircraft carriers and the Fleet Flagship of the Royal Navy. Capable of carrying 60 aircraft including fixed wing, rotary wing and autonomous vehicles, she is named in honour of the first HMS Queen Elizabeth, a World War I era super-dreadnought, which in turn was named after Queen Elizabeth I. The carrier Queen Elizabeth carries her namesake ship's honours, as well as her Tudor rose-adorned crest and motto.

She began sea trials in June 2017, was commissioned on 7 December 2017 and entered service in 2020. Her first seagoing commanding officer was Commodore Jerry Kyd who was appointed in 2014 but did not take command until May 2016, having previously commanded the carriers Ark Royal and Illustrious.

The ship is designed to operate V/STOL aircraft. The air wing will typically consist of F-35B Lightning II multirole fighters and Merlin helicopters for airborne early warning and anti-submarine warfare. The design emphasises flexibility, with accommodation for 250 Royal Marines and the ability to support them with attack helicopters and large troop transports such as Chinooks. She is based at HMNB Portsmouth.

Queen Elizabeth will deploy as the central part of a UK Carrier Strike Group with escorts and support ships in order to deliver carrier-enabled power projection.

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