HMS Queen Elizabeth, the flagship of the Royal Navy, has taken to social media to highlight their impressive operational capabilities.
In a recent tweet, the official account reported that they have been conducting exercises to operate various aircraft on board, showing their versatility and readiness at any given moment.
The carrier account went on to explain that they are fully equipped to operate both day and night. Additionally, they noted their capability to perform refueling of airborne helicopters, an advanced manoeuvre that showcases the adaptability and preparedness of the crew on board.
The tweet read: “We have been practicing our ability to operate various aircraft on board. We can operate day or night, and even refuel a helicopter whilst it’s still flying.”
We have been practicing our ability to operate various aircraft on board. We can operate day or night, and even refuel a helicopter whilst it's still flying. 🚁#Flagship #AircraftCarrier pic.twitter.com/vMbhsYoBDR
— HMS Queen Elizabeth (@HMSQNLZ) June 6, 2023
The carrier’s recent demonstration of capabilities comes at a time when the Royal Navy is working to showcase the readiness and operational flexibility of their fleet.
The hashtag “#Flagship” included in the tweet underscores the importance of HMS Queen Elizabeth to the UK’s naval power, underscoring its central role in the nation’s defence.
HIFR. (Helicopter Inflight Refueling) A tricky scenario, but an important and useful capability to keep Helicopters flying incase the flight deck has been damaged or obstructed.
I think it was originally envisioned in the Cold War to keep ASW ops at maximum tempo, with a particular enthesis on Frigate flight decks.
I’m not sure of it’s history. But that sounds about right 👍
I was going to ask that, it looks like a very dangerous evolution to be undertaking without having a really good reason.
It’s not something that happens a lot, but the crews have to be qualified to do it. It takes precision from all involved.
But it needs to be in the repertoire for good operational reasons.
All three services practice rotors running refueling, predominantly on dry land. Adding a platform that moves around plus you needing to hover over it, adds a whole level of complexity. Though with today’s digital flight control systems. A lot of the pilot’s hands-on maintaining the hover over a fixed point requirement, is made easier. The reason for doing this, is that it reduces the turn-around time. If the helicopter landed on the deck. You’d need a team to chain it down, even if the rotors are still going. Then take the chains off, when it’s ready to take-off again. This… Read more »
That was a Harrier this is a helicopter?
OK. Pegasus is high bypass but it is an order of magnitude more aggressive than a helicopters downdraught.
That’s why carrier flight trials are so extensive. The wind affect from the superstructure or island can have a big impact on the aircrafts stability.
We did a successful trial I think it was in 2006/7 using a GR7 on the Fort Grange. If the Harrier came in from directly astern, it did create a lot of turbulence over the deck. That made the Harrier bounce around. However, if it came from the left or right of the deck, the turbulence was a lot less and it could land safely. Taking off was interesting, as the Harrier had to be pushed way back to stop the exhaust air recirculating. The main benefit the GR7 had over the legacy Sea Harriers and GR3s, was that it… Read more »
As @Robert Blay has said: this is not trivial stuff – launching, quite large & heavy, supersonic jets is not for Biggles to have go at after lunch…..just because…..
It requires lots and lots of planning.
The risk isn’t just to the plane but to the whole ship and thereby it is a massive operational risk.
Totally agree, prior to the flight trials there were months of planning. Plus BAe had done some airflow modeling. When we did do the flight trials on the Grange, we were in the bay off Falmouth. Nearby was a tug for fire duties just in case, plus there were two ribs circling, in case the pilot needed to bang out over the sea. We also had Cauldrose on standby. The trials was done over 5 days in near perfect weather. The conclusion was yes a Harrier could land, refuel/rearm then take off again from the Grange. Plus the large size… Read more »
But what would have been the real world point of this?
Other than lily padding the Harriers using the Fort as stepping stone to get them on or off the Invincibles?
TBH I think with the greater weight of F35B the deck plating would need to be thicker to cope with the thermal effects never mind the special metalised paint.
This was all planned around supporting the Invincible class carriers. That if they were engaged in a major conflict and carried the maximum number of embarked aircraft, eg Falkland’s part 2. There were a number of requirements, some that I still can’t divulge. But the ones that I can, these ranged from emergency landings for the CAP aircraft in case the carrier (Invincible class) were hit. To freeing up the carrier for more take-offs, ie allowing the returning strike/CAP aircraft a place to land, whilst the carrier was busy getting a strike wave off the carrier. Today, we are spoilt… Read more »
I agree.
There was a whole project group in the 1980’s on how to use SHAR and GR across multiple platforms.
After the Atlantic conveyor and various other HNS Max Hastings experiments.
I was tangentially involved as my day job, then, was ship BDR / survivability.
Invincibles were tiny and would have been hopeless with F35B.
More space is more options: always good for planners.
At times I can’t believe the stuff we got away with or the number of aircraft we managed to squeeze on those “through deck cruisers”! I still remember my first time on Lusty. They put us in the accommodation under the ramp. Was off a night shift and finally starting to nod off. When the early morning Harriers started to bang off the ramp. Funny did both Lusty and Ark quite a few times, but never Invincible. It does make you think about whether something like the Invincible class would have been large enough to handle a Squadron of F35s,… Read more »
That’s fantastic, i shall sleep better tonight knowing we have all these super capabilities and just look at all those aircraft on deck, it must be a nightmare finding space for all of them.
You’ll be regarded as a heretic my friend if you criticize.😉
Come on now Geoff. It isn’t TopGun 😄
Couldn’t help myself Robert, I think it’s in the blood! 😏
I know you mean well 😃👍
It’s funny, people hung up about not seeing a deck full of aircraft. Why does the carrier need to go around like it is on parade with them all lined up? Is it a power image thing? We have the carriers, most others don’t. We have aircraft to put on them, IF it is necessary. 30 F35 and growing, so in a war situation say 20. All the stops are pulled out, so 617 Sqn, and more from the OCU. Merlin HM2s from the carrier Sqn. Merlins from CHF as CASR. Chinooks If needed, Apache if needed. The carriers are… Read more »
Well put Daniele, certainly in the future when the can embark two squadrons of F35 routinely, plus the various RN/ AAC/RAF helos, plus a range of UAV’s, adding persistent high altitude AEW, AAR, Strike and recon etc, etc, then they will be serious (and scalable) big sticks of foreign diplomacy, offering a range of abilities that start to come close to a USN strike carrier, but on a far smaller operating budget. Add to this an Astute, upgraded T45 and it’s improved missile systems, toting 72 SAM’s, plus T26 ( adding another 48 to the tally) riding shotgun. As a… Read more »
Yes. We know it’s slow, but that’s the way it is.
They need to get a move on with FSS. Have they even started build yet? Don’t think so?
Last I saw they were building/renewing infrastructure in Belfast ready to support the build.
Thank you.
And I think that 809 squadron stands up this year.
Daniele sometimes, just sometimes I don’t agree with you. Of course they don’t need to do it, but if you can then you do. In the Army it is a parade or an RSM in all his blustering glory or an Armoured Regiment in Battle order (not sure if they still do that). In the Airforce it’s a fly past or Aerobatics and just ignore the RAF regiment. In the Navy nothing since the days of a line of Battleships in line ahead shouts don’t mess, better than a Carrier with a full Alpha Strike Wing on deck. And it… Read more »
Morning mate. No worries. We all see the asset differently for what it is for. How boring this site would be if everyone agreed and just backslapped. “In the Army it is a parade or an RSM in all his blustering glory” Well the HD is ceremonial/PD so a little different to getting an airgroup together so military enthusiasts can drool and we can all go look at that good old GB. Their job is to be seen, and heard in the case of the massed bands. It is publicity as well as a state occasion. A line regiment on… Read more »
It’s interesting you mention the 4th Armoured Division, if it is what I am thinking of it is the 1977 Silver Jubilee Army Review. It was at Sennelager involved 3000 men and 550 Armoured vehicles. In the same year the RN hosted a fleer review at Spithead. 2 Carriers 1 LPD 2 Cruisers 8 DDG 31 Frigates 4 SSN 10 SS 20 MCM And for HM King Charles coronation we did zilch, which is the 1st time since Edward VII nothing happened. I suspect the reason given would be cost, but in reality it would just be plain embarrassing. As… Read more »
Hi mate. I would have to check one of my books at home for the photo I have in mind, and a date, which I will later, though you may well be correct. HM is on the back of a LR taking a salute and the Division is lined up like a Roman Legion. I have just looked up the Vanguard meeting the US SSBN, did not recall that at all, and I see there was an article on this very site! The examples you mention just reinforce my view that I stated earlier that so much of this is… Read more »
Hi Daniele – this information about the current Pentagon interest in the UFO phenomenon might interest you. Its OT but George never posts an artice about the subject….. David Charles Grusch, 36, a USAF veteran and former member of the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency, who served in Afghanistan and with the National Reconnaissance Office, said the US and other nations are engaged in a top-secret arms race to ‘reverse-engineer’ alien technology. Grusch has handed over classified details of the alleged operations to Congress and the Intelligence Community Inspector General. Grusch is a former member of the Pentagon’s Unidentified Aerial Phenomena… Read more »
Hi mate. Yep, well aware of this, been following it for a few days. Nothing we were not already aware of to be fair, seeming as we both follow this subject, it’s been quietly bubbling away for decades. Bob Lazar scenario all over again. Agree, either gradual disclosure, until it’s taken for granted and no mad rush for the toilet rolls. Or, these releases are to cover for something else and by design disinformation. Thus the murky world of ufology, MJ12, and so on. Richard Dolan will have lots to say I’m sure. Pity Stanton Friedman is no longer with… Read more »
Lots of people do follow the subject, but thanks to fear of ridicule and worry about how it might affect career prospects, few comment.
I was never that impressed by Bob Lazar actually. Unlike Tim Good and yes, Stanton Friedman. But this chap Grusch seems to be a proper whistleblower.
Can I ask m8, was your interest in the subject sparked by a sighting yourself?
Yes and no. I have had a “LITS” sighting, which was probably something to do with whatever the US have in orbit that they do not disclose. Which I have no doubt at all are considerable. I actually came to the subject through this, military interest, in 1988. The two intertwine repeatedly, in the Black Budget, aviation R&D, and in military and government denial, which as often as not is a cover up of ignorance, not knowledge, as they do not know how to handle it beyond their usual debunking. And that goes for the US military too, all through… Read more »
I have had a sighting, also witnessed by my then wife and a group of friends who had come round for dinner. I have been surprised by the number of military people that I met during my career who have seen anomalous things in the sky. Usually they swear you to secrecy and I would never betray a confidence; some of them have subsequently gone on to greater things in the services Personally I’m interested in insignia. Insignia to me means attachment to an organisation, unit, detachment but definately military. Why they would they be interested in us? Maybe they… Read more »
Hi mate.
You like insignia? You might like this book…”I could tell you, but then you would have to be destroyed by me”
Emblems from the Pentagon’s Black World.
Lots of unit patches, some unknown.
It’s by Trevor Paglen.
Ah, I should have said insignia on the UFOs. Paglen’s book seems to be about Pentagon military patches etc. And its up on Amazon for over £250!!
I’ll look up HCC the Roswell bendy metal man first 🙂
😳 Crikey, mine was about £15!
You’re welcome to borrow mine. Look me up, this is my real name.
Yes, memory metal mate. It’s invention date and by whom is not what is publically stated.
Hi Daniele – Thanks for your kind offer. I’m having a little difficulty looking you up on Facebook, there are hundreds of Danielle Mandelli ! could you give me a little more info plz
Daniele Mandelli, one L in Daniele. I’m the guy with a Blue Great Britain cap and a Starling on my head!!!
Gotcha! Friemd request and msg sent 🙂
Or, just look for “Mandelli Art”, as I’m an artist…occasionally!
By the way, look up details on a bloke called “Howard Clinton Cross” who worked at Battelle.
Thanks Daniele, I shall. And thanks for another of your detailed replies above.
Hi mate.
You were right. “Reviewing 4 Division, Sennelager, July 7th 1977.”
The book I’m looking at is “The Encyclopedia of the Modern Britsh Army” by Terry Gander, 1986. Such a detailed work that got me studying army stuff. 👍
What’s funny to me is your type of reply Daniele This Carrier project started at least 20 years ago, order placed 16 years ago, delayed for financial reasons at an additional cost of @ 1.5 Billion, each, many more millions wasted on the C&T u turn, designed to carry up to 36 F35s plus the aircraft you mention, One in dry dock for best part of a year, Initial order of F35’s was 138 and here we are with @ 30 of which maybe two squadrons could be embarked (eggs and baskets spring to mind) and so far we have… Read more »
Morning Animal. “sorry if my comments don’t fit well with you and your acolytes but hey, it’s a free country and I’m worried about it’s defence.” No need to be defensive. You stated an opinion, I gave mine back. So the issue is with how many comments I may or may not have made is…? “Initial order of F35’s was 138” No, initial order for 48. 138 is over the lifetime of the program and has been known from the start to be as unlikely as 250 Typhoons or 12 T45 were. “so far we have only managed 8 and… Read more »
There it is, the “I’m superior to you” reply, sadly every site has members that are way too full of themselves. 15 thousand comments deary me how sad actually is that ? think of all the things you could have been doing, you only live once mate.
Nonsense. My reply above made it quite clear that you have your opinion, and I have mine. How is me having an opinion being full of oneself? Or maybe you have a problem with knowledge? Feel free not to read my opinions then. Interestingly, I looked at your comments history. And you have had near identical spats with others before over a similar theme, which is telling. You really cannot cope with people with a different point of view can you? And you’re still obsessed by my number of posts, even though that is irrelevant and does not make my… Read more »
Just keep the posts coming DM! Plenty of folk comment on enjoying your knowledgable insights and balanced commentary.
High time George offered you a freelance role as an Opinion analyst on the site! 🙏
Thanks for the support Chris. This guys being a prat, basically.
Nothing says power projection like a 6B refuelling pod.
So why park up 24 F35s on the flight deck when there is no need? Oh dear animal, you need to make an effort at subject matter knowledge and looking at the bigger picture! If you need help just ask Daniele.
I’m curious about that. If they are learning to deal with a scenario where the flight deck is damanged and needing to refuel helicopters in the air, surely you want to test it with a flight deck containing aircraft as they will impact the process from an air flow perspective but also an operational one of having to deal with less space. Training on an empty deck doesn’t seem very realistic. We don’t have the planes to train in a realistic war currently, but creating some models would seem sensible, just to create a more realistic scenerio and the clutter… Read more »
SFDO, School of Flight Deck Operations, at Culdrose has models, and a fake deck marked out, and Sea Harriers. ( or did )
So crews can train to do some of that stuff with there but not the same as a moving carrier with the airflow stuff as you say.
All in a day’s work.
LINK
Nice video. How much benefit is there in refuelling a helicopter hovering just above the deck compared with having it land first?
Saves on time, which, when SM hunting, might be crucial.
Too much pitch and roll on the deck could be a reason as someone suggests in the post in the link, allowing the crew to transfer to land or another ship in the area. A crowded flight deck with no available space to land. Plenty of good reasons no doubt otherwise they would not train for it! Merlin mk2 HIFR LINK “Vital training on the RNAS Culdrose ‘Dummy Deck’ with students being taught how to safely refuel a helicopter whilst in the hover. Royal Navy Aircrew, Aircraft Handlers and Air Engineering teams must all be able to conduct Helicopter In… Read more »
So essentially an emergency operation rather than routine. Makes sense.
Is it also practised on the escort fleet?
Nigel doesn’t know. He will only Google an answer for you.
Rather than try to make out he does by putting it into his own words 😂
I worked on RN flight decks for years Nigel. You probably wasn’t allowed in the Sea Cadets. No substance, no clue, no dick.
Ah Robert, the smell of avtur in the morning, you can’t beat it, happy days!
Yes, very happy memories. Some fun times in hot places. It was not so fun in the Artic Circle. Stood on the deck at 6 in the morning in -25. 😄🥶
😎
Bobby the BOT with his box of spanners is back. So you keep telling everyone. Getting personal again? It’s a sure sign of a looser or the nail being hit squarely on the head. Where’s the money coming from Nigel? Any news on the F-16 replacements? “The Department of Defense’s most expensive weapon system—the F-35 aircraft—is now more than a decade behind schedule and $183 billion over original cost estimates. This program is weighing options to upgrade its engine and cooling system. But it hasn’t taken some important steps, such as fully assessing the costs and technical risks of the different… Read more »
Usual botchat reply with a terrible attempt at humour. And another pointless copy and paste. Prove you are an actual human being Nigel? You trot out the same usual stuff because you can’t compute actual normal human conversation.
He seems to be replying to his own posts , seems rather odd? Good on you for the intelligent banter though!
Hi mate. He’s either a very strange bloke. Or AI botchat. He just doesn’t have a conversation in him like a normal bloke. copy and paste, and endless links to other web pages. Obsessed with trying to prove himself right in any comment chain any poor sod posts to him.
Cheers Robert. To quote Inspector Clouseau (the Peter Sellers one)”All part of life’s rich pageant”.😋
Very eloquent 😄👍
Save your pocket money little lad.
Pentagon: F-35 engine upgrade will be ready by FY30, aiming for ‘cost share’ among partners
Asked whether the Air Force would be willing to try again on pursuing an adaptive engine if Congress provided more funding, service Secretary Frank Kendall said, “No, we’ve made our decision.”
They practice it incase the flight deck is damaged or obstructed. So helicopter operations can be sustained. It’s not used a lot. But the crews have to be qualified to do it. It requires precision handling from all involved.
I presume they drop a static line from the Helo first and then use this to hoist the fuel line up, do they? Would they use the winch for this?
That’s how it appears in this video
You can see a rainbow caused by the downdraft from the rotors.
Hopefully, this was conducted on a Saturday!
Happy faces in the galley After a non-stop few days at sea hundreds of hungry sailors onboard HMSQNLZ are ready for the first Saturday Steak Night of 2022
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FNq_zPCWUAgv6qx.jpg
The winch is lowered and the HIFR hose is attached by a hook eye at the top. The hose is then winched up to the aircraft where the aircrew then attach the bonding lead and fuel hose to the fuel point. Fuel can then be transferred to the aircraft from the ship. All the time this is going on deck crew are handling the hose to keep the minimum hose forming a loop over the side of the ship, either pulling in or paying out as required. If things go wrong there is a breakaway connection so the aircraft can… Read more »
I saw her off the north coast of Cornwall 2 days ago (4/06/23). Clear deck, looking amazing on the horizon during a sunset. Awesome to finally see her with my own eyes!
That would be top secret. the QE carrier is designed to reach approx 65-70% maximum sortie rate of a Ford Class Carrier in a 24 hour time period- it helps that the ships is very efficient in terms of weapons handling and the STOVL aids in generating quick sorties turn around times- not having to wait for a catapult launch. pros and cons to STOVL vs catapult not withstanding. QE is still to my mind probably the 3rd best carrier type in the world after the Ford/ Nimitz classes. I’m ignoring China’s carriers including their new type 003 EMALS conventionally… Read more »
I think during CSG21 we had 18 jets on the QE, this obviously isn’t anywhere near the number the QE can handle but it should be enough to get a decent idea of how it would perform it we chucked another 18+ on.
Some years ago I read the reports on the Nimitz surge test from the 90s, it lists various sortie limiters, planes, pilots and maintenance crew. IIRC Nimitz was limited first on the maintenance crews who were turning around the planes as fast as they could, then pilots and last were the numbers of planes. It wouldn’t surprise me if we had similar limiters, and given our training issues, perhaps sorties will be limited by how many pilots we have.
Lack of pilots, that is unfortunately a defining factor on the limit of jets we can concurrently deploy on our carriers along with engineers and other support crew. Thankfully the jets that we are deploying are the absolute best available and the guys and girls operating and supporting the operation of the jets we have are among the best NATO has to offer. Even if the carriers were never used to anywhere near their surge capacity they are still a very strong force and a vital asset to NATO defence.
So! we don’t have enough f35s for her plus we don’t have enough ships of working quality to protect them. They are just a large white elephant from a country that is nolonger strong enough to protect her self. We don’t even have enough sailors to crew what active ships we have.
And where do you hail from? Still the true land of the free and all because many in uniform have ensured that is the case over the years by paying a price many currently many know nothing of taking their freedom for granted. We are still able to give a more than good account of ourselves against anyone that crosses our path. Great Britain is far from perfect (where is?) but I’ll take it over anywhere else. The RN may not be the biggest but it has what it takes when needed. So if you are a UK resident and… Read more »
I’m from the UK but the difference is I actually see what this and previous governments have done to our arm forces and its a struggle for us. So don’t try and preach to someone who knows the truth. You just continue in believing that this country is still a superpower. Our military is underfunded they always playing catchup to save money then it costs more in the end. Example of Challenger2 once the best in the world but instead of keeping upto date they left stagnant for 30 years. Now they are worried it may not be upto the… Read more »
I am fully aware of the cuts those fools in Whitehall have made yet we are still at the top of the game why because of the people who wear the uniform. No matter the kit its the person who wears and uses it that make the real edge. How do I know, I served all over the World and those others still continue to look to the UK to lead the way not for the kit we bring but the calibre of person. No we are not a Superpower (look at Russia is it a Superpower? only on paper… Read more »
I totally agree with you it’s the quality of the personal. Even US Generals admit one on one the UK would beat the US hands down in Army, Air Force, Navy but because of the US they would win on numbers but at a heavy cost. The UK aircraft carriers were built on the cheap like every thing the government does. They built two carrier with the limitations of only been able to fly F35 fast jets if they only built one with cats and traps and spent money on upgrading a typhoon with carrier capabilites. Having those and f35… Read more »
It is best to have 2 carriers so at least 1 can be available when the other is being serviced/upgraded and they are very capable. They are also have many decades of service in them, the F35 numbers will come and will be upgraded greatly over the coming decades, while I do like the sound of carrier capable typhoons they would not be able to provide the same capability as the F35 long term. We got T26 and T31 been made to replace the T23’s with the possible addition of T32, the RN still has plenty of fight left in… Read more »
I wonder if one of the Carriers will be involved with a Formidable Shield in the future?
Yeah, what about the HMS Prince of Wales… how’s the golden nugget doing? 😁😁😁