The USS George Washington and French supply ship BRF Jacques Chevallier joined HMS Prince of Wales in the North Atlantic recently.
The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington, Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Leyte Gulf, the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, and logistics supply ship BRF Jacques Chevallier recently sailed in formation during interoperability training in the Atlantic Ocean, “demonstrating partnership and commitment in the maritime domain”, say the U.S. Navy.
The carrier recently sailed for her autumn deployment to the United States – her longest yet, pushing the limits of aircraft carrier operations with drones, fifth-generation stealth fighters, tilt-rotors and helicopters. Shes operating off the east coast of the United States.
By the time she returns home shortly before Christmas, the Royal Navy say that they expect that the ship will have:
- Operated advanced drone technologies, demonstrating the delivery of vital supplies without the need to use helicopters;
- Landed and launched F-35 Lightning stealth fighters in more ways, more quickly and in the harshest of sea conditions to increase the strike carrier’s firepower;
- Increased the range and conditions in which the US Marine Corps’ impressive MV-22 Osprey tilt rotor aircraft can operate.
Have to give the French credit on how they build Military kit which are very pleasing on the eye
Then there’s the Mistral’s !!!! 😄
You probably know but the QE class was built with the French Thales twin towers design feature. BAE design was a single tower although several layouts were proposed.
Development of the Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carrier – a design history | Navy Lookout
Have a read of the comments from 5 years back on there. Some comically bad takes. I wonder how these pages will fair? No better I guess.
The French Thales design was courtesy of the very British BMT.
Cheers, i didn’t know that.
Only checked out the history of BMT recently due to them ‘suddenly’ being involved in everything. Goes back a lot further, if in different guise than I had realised, but had thought they couldn’t have simply come out of nowhere.
Actually the Malta class was the first proposed twin island carrier. The idea never seemed to go away from British ship design.
That’s 50/50 me thinks 🙂 The Malta’s islands were going to be so close together you could have jumped from one to the other. Certainly not on the scale of having parking or deck-edge lift between them.
I think if my memory is correct that Bae also offered one albeit briefly with twin islands, but joined by a bridge over a lift. Looked a little weird but makes some superficial sense logically.
I vaguely remember about 6 or 7 initial designs and always hoped for a “Habakkuk” version but I guess we have to make do with these !😄
And we’d have had aircraft to put on them
Maybe more of a tuk tuk design
Break out the woolly knickers 😁.
I like the rendering of the argus sister
Mv contend upgrading to a HLP IT’S NOT A SECRET THAT THE R.N NEEDS ONE. TheMv Brazant was altered in days to go south with the task force in 1982
What nonsense
Nope. only only in your mind.
Ignore it, it’s an Ai chat bot, no human would right their middle name on a tag line.
😆….lol but he’s been on here years and i’ve been here years too….. he just doesn’t realise who he is replying to with this “nonsense” .
The BRF is based on an Italian design (Vulcano).
For once, Farouk was friendly toward my country, but your right… BRF is based upon Fincantieri design.
😂
Are you able to substantiate that remark? I don’t recollect having ever berated the French people, I admit I may have expressed a few colourful words at Macron, but that’s Macron, but regards the French people as a whole, I don’t think I have. I’m actually very pro-European and see the EU as the future I’ve also worked alongside the FL good bunch of lads. Oh, I have a penchant for French films my favs been Moliere, The Count of Monte Cristo (with Gérard Depardieu) TV series, Cyrano de Bergerac (Again with Gérard Depardieu), Les Choristes and who else but… Read more »
Just a joke, no substance whatsoever 😉 you seem very serious and passionate on most content. Sometime, for a pun, English people like to make for fun jokes on french guys.
I take it as Froglegg / Roastbeef level, nothing offensive nor serious in my eyes 😄
On serious matter, I would count first my country, France and on our respected prefered enemmies and best ally, UK. UK was aside in 1914 and in 1939.
I see that you have quite a good knowledge of my country and hope you will be welcomed there whenever you may visit it.
Farouk is top notch mate and his experience and knowledge, and ability to research is second to none! He wouldn’t give it big licks against the evil Frenchies unless necessary 😂😂😂 Seriously mate, politics aside, most experienced lads on here have worked with the French lads and respect the skill and professionalism they have, even if you do get a bit pissy on occasion and try to get all revolutionary on everyone’s ass 😂👍 However you have to admit Macron is a top nob jockey, closely followed by our political mob 🐒
I have a story about seriously upsetting the Mayor of Lyon after a night out with the French paras. The Master Chef, kept pouring this evil liquid that tasted like almonds in to a shot glass. Honor, equivalent position and reputation dictated that I had to match him. Sadly that didn’t end well!
Lol it very rarely does! Similar dits I could elaborate when I was at pfullendorf in the late 90s early 00 with the ILRRP school, prior to the Brits pulling out! Alas not at your mayor level, just low level stuff being a Brit lol….also didn’t end well with an RTU oops.
Didn’t have anything to do with a rugby bar and pink polar bears?
Farouk, you forgot Eva Green. Enough to turn even the most fervent brexiteer.
I thought you were going to mention Dogtanian and the muskahounds.
Do seem to be independent on Military platforms rather than relay on other partners in Defence which is wise ,and that’s me saying something for the French .🤗
Hehehehe at last 😌 You’ll come to it…
👍
They are certainly moving away from Paul Gautier on their treatment of their bows that’s for sure.
While French ships are beautiful it’s enhanced by having the US ship next to it. I can’t think of the last time the USN built a pretty ship.
LCS class maybe but they are scrapping that. Everything else looks a bit brutal.
Then again maybe big an ugly is what you want in a warship.
Like the US Navy gives a damn what you think.
Zumwalt? I quite like them but that must just be the futurist in me, or the lack of any obviously ugly feature. Agree, the Americans have not built an attractive ship since WW2. See USS Long Beach for an early example of where it went wrong
I am a fan of WW2 USN Cruisers especially when still had big guns on and mixed with the new Missile systems which came along in the day. 😏
Andrew D, I have always been interested in USN Cruisers; are the naval guns still built on these ships? I have seen some guided- Missile Cruisers, but don’t know anything about their major guns. Thank You for the comments!
John Lombardi, Maryland
I like to see the hanging baskets
Eeejit😂
Any buzzes about S. Korean carrier development? 🤔.
Was reading about this last week seems plans in the pipe work but disagreement on size in the article talk of 25 000, 45 000, 70 000 Displacement .No winner but did look like 45 000 Displacement was front runner. 🤔
Cheers, AD. 👍
Any news on Mojave trials?
Later this month apparently
Glad to hear it, I was worried when it didn’t seem to be immediately obvious in their list of things to do from the article…
Exactly my question!
Interesting to see both Carriers with (almost) empty decks, the cynic in me thinks the USS GW has been photo shopped to “fit in”…… 😆
Yeah strangely enough it’s not just the UK that does not want a couple billion dollars of very delicate aircraft sitting on deck in the North Atlantic in November.
Yet no one is decrying the failure of America for a $5 billion dollar aircraft carrier with no planes on it.
Come to think of it even when you see US aircraft carrier decks stacked they don’t have a lot of F35 sitting about.
I think once we’ve shown we can do it with a 24 jet surge or deployment, that nonsense will calm down a bit.
That day will come.
Hell, I so blinking hope so mate….. Would be great to see POW and QE at Spithead with full loads…… Would be even nicer to see an equal amount at the land based airfields too…. What was it again 138 we signed up for ? How many we got now? How many we will get ? What else could we embark ? lol mate. i’m playing but you must agree with the numbers ?😄……
138 they describe as “over the lifetime of the program” and you don’t need 138 for 3 Sqns, an OCU, OEU, and a small reserve. Back in time one carrier was to be in reserve, one in use. In 2015 the PM confirmed both in use. But there are not the Merlin for 2 seperate wings so you won’t see both at Spithead as you say Full load. It isn’t happening. If it does you kiss Tempest goodbye, and some at F35A, there isn’t enough money for both. We’d have, I think, either 33 or 35, I forget. I’d be… Read more »
If GCAP works out no one will be talking about F35A. If not then we have a UK developed aircraft in F35A to replace the manned component of typhoon and we will buy 138+.
With two carriers and no helicopter carrier buying more than 80 F35B makes little sense. In a Falkland style all out effort that’s 50 or 60 aircraft on deck.
That many F35 would be a force to recon with. I can’t imagine ever needing anything like that short of WW3.
About fast jets DM remember reading an Article some years ago about a proposal by BAE on a version of Sea Typhoon for the India navy .Of course nothing came of it but still can you imagine Typhoons on the decks of QEs ,no F35s. No I haven’t been drinking given my local a miss tonight 🤔 🇬🇧
Sssshhh, you’ll set “Martin” off with talk of Sea Typhoon.
Anyone else remember him on UKDM.Com back around 2007, 2010? He was obsessed with that concept. I suspect he is still around.
Agreed as ever mate, 72 will begin enough, let’s look at at least another 6-8 Merlin to do crowsnest full time and leave the numbers the same for ASW! Tempest should be future priority and getting and F35A would just make both fleets too small and to unusable! 👍
Like I said, i was only playing, sort of micky taking with a side of sarcasm !
I must say that it seems rather odd to build these two monsters yet not be able to equip them with the numbers they are designed for especially when there is only one Fixed wing option available. A bit like building passenger planes but only taking a third of the passengers ! Ok, not really but it is in some ways,🤔
Most RAF Stations are not equipped with the numbers of aircraft they can operate. Many HAS stand empty in other locations. Neither are valid reasons to dispose of these places. They are strategic assets. And so are the carriers. The issues regards F35 build-up are well known. Their cost. Their complexity. Their inability to carry certain weapons until LM gets on with it ( delay by design for pork barrel reasons I’m sure ) Do you not think big, thus flexible with room to expand is better than an HMS Invincible with all their limitations? We have 2 amazing assets… Read more »
As I said mate. it was not a serious criticism, more like a sarcastic and slight Micky take mixed in with just an echo of what so many others think ( I do visit lots of other sites, not just this one and i’ll tell you now, this subject is is of major concern to many… It’s not “Moaning”, It’s concern.)
Hi M1 “old friend” I think it’s both. Sure, there is genuine concern, there are also ridiculous, ill informed, drive by shooting” posts with ridiculous comments that ignore all logic, and are, to me at least, moaning.
Well have some fun. This subject will run and run, I shall point out some examples and link them to you.
It’s the same with Ajax. It is the in thing to bemoan UK Defence to the point any positives whatsoever are lost in the wind.
At the point where the Down voting feature was finally deleted, I was about a 1000 posts ahead of you mate…………………………………… remember the dots ? …………….. I got banned and blocked and I really missed talking to you …… Please try to remember and we can Go forward again without all the Duelling !!!!! I always loved that old Cartoon programme where a certain Captain used to crew a ship called the black Pig and his crew were called Roger the cabin boy and Seaman stains……. if you get my drift……. ?
Mate. Lol, I don’t need to remember, I’ve been on this forum long enough to know the characters. I had suspected it might be you. Now I know. 😆 WTF are you doing down under? Thought you were in Devon it thereabouts ?
Unless AEW goes, at least in part, drone and those Merlin can become ASW?
We’d read about the Drones coming in the release Merlin for its core role, supplemented by Proteus. It is a pity the Merlin front line force has been reduced to two Sqns, one of which has flights for T23, plus the OCU.
Ideally each carrier would have a Merlin F35, and UAV Sqn as core with dets added as needed, but I’m going fantasy fleets there the kit doesn’t exist yet.
Some new Merlins is very well needed 🙏
When the polies said both in service, I think that was a little spin. I think they meant, between the lines and based on reading, one deployable as CSG lead, and one in UK water in refit, maintenance, and training. So, one with an airgroup, one with occasional visits from OCU cabs. I think, aside from 809 being delayed, that is what we now see. PoW will become CSG lead next year.
HMG could get some Phantoms and bucaneer aircraft out of the FAA museum maybe sure enough deck space 🤗 👍
Have to say the phantom was an ugly bastard aircraft but strangely intoxicating, while the Buccaneer was like a 70s porn star!!!!!!!!!
🤗
Yes, why is that…? The lunatic low flying or the lines?!
One of the best displays I ever saw was a Phantom at Chivenor back in the early 80’s. He was on a mission, we all hit the ground as he flew low over the runway, I nearly ended up in the Pill.😆
Best for me was the Lightning at Binbrook 1988 the single display made the ground shake .And to see them in formation fly over the airfield for the very last time before been retired from service great sight but very sad day for the RAF 🇬🇧
Yet the nonsense continues from the great uninformed mate. I see the same comments over and over with the same narrow-minded view’s. 10 years with nothing, we have two fantastic carrier’s and a growing fleet of the most advanced and capable fighters mankind has ever made. Hundreds of deck landings and sorties have taken place with a wide variety of aircraft. So much more to come. Some people really don’t understand the complexity of carrier operations and the time it takes to get to full operating capability.
Agree mate.
Soon I hope, surging two squadrons on short notice would be a very good training operation. I also hope we start to embark Italian , Japanese and Singaporean F35B as well as USMC.
Actually surging two squadrons on one and a bunch of Apache, Merlin’s and chinooks on the other and invading Gibraltar would be a great exercise. Could be home in time for tea and medals.
I’ve also read of the possibility of splitting the F35 force a Sqn per Carrier, and fleshing out with helis and of course UCAV in time.
HI Jim I was under the impression this was one of the planning scenarios- one carrier for F35 &ASW ops, and the other as a hybrod helo/commando carrier, in tandem.
Hope so 😏 🇬🇧
Hoping for 24 in 24’, may take to 25 though
The George Washington recently got out of a mid-life refueling overhaul and also got F-35C capability. Right now she’s training, shaking down her systems and also doing carrier qualifications for east coast pilots. Her own air wing is currently assigned to the Ronald Reagan in the western Pacific. She will go back to Japan in the summer to replace the Ronald Reagan as the forward deployed carrier there. So far the east coast CVNs don’t have F-35C capability, so Ford and Ike don’t deploy with them yet, but the west coast ships that have deployed F-35Cs and the amphibious assault… Read more »
Spot on!!!! 👍
Are you attracted to me ? Seems so.😉 This comment I made was in reference to the often thought of by so many that these Carriers seem to lack actual Aircraft even after some nearly 6 whole years of sailing around the globe…… May I offer you a reminder that the entire WW11 only lasted the same 6 years and still we only have 8 F35B’s of our own ever actually being embarked ? now you can belittle me all you like mate but don’t come here spouting rubbish like you have above.
MO, yer ok mate, the nurse is er way fer him, bless 😳.
Exactly what I thought. As much as people think aircraft carriers are always full of aircraft the truth is they aren’t.
Mind you I’ve forgotten the size of the Nimitz hanger. Can it fit 55+ aircraft? Im doubtful.
Perhaps she’s working up, doing training with the hawks or something else that doesn’t need a full air group.
The future airwing for USN carriers starting in a few years is “44 strike fighters as it does now, but the mix of Block 4 F-35C Lightning II fighters and Block III F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighters changes from 10 and 34, respectively, to 16 and 28. The strike fighters would equip one 16-aircraft F-35C squadron and three F/A-18E/F squadrons totalling 28 Super Hornets. The other aircraft in the wing would include five-to-seven EA-18G Growler electronic combat aircraft, five E-2D Advanced Hawkeye command-and-control aircraft, six-to-ten MH-60 Seahawk helicopters, three CMV-22B Osprey carrier-onboard delivery aircraft, and five-to-nine MQ-25 Stingray aerial tanker… Read more »
interesting read Netking cheers for that.
“Interoperability training,” as stated in article, or photo op? Assume training scenario would be more realistic if paired w/ Gator Navy vessel, although pairing w/ Nimitz/Ford class is conceivable in operational context. 🤔
But the Gator Navy ships, such as USS Wasp, are amphibious warfare ships (that can take over 1,800 marines, amphibious connector craft (LCAC or LCU or LCM) and has a well dock) and our carriers are not.
Very different types of ship with different roles.
Believe there have been articles stating that USN/USMC have been trialing F-35B squadron(s?) aboard LPHs. In effect creating light or auxillary carriers. Somewhere on the continuum between the Invincible class and modern fleet carriers.
Of course, USN downplays effectiveness, admirals don’t want funding competition for fleet carriers! 😱😉
In March/April last year USS Tripoli trialled the ship as a Lightning carrier. A PhotoOp showed 20 F-35Bs and a few of rotaries on the stuffed deck. If I remember correctly they announced sorties were taking place with 18 jets on board. That would make them around the same capacity as the Invincible class, except with F-35s rather than Harriers and amphibious capabilities thrown in.
Thanks for providing follow-up details. 👍😊. Could this be Plan B if/when USN suffers loss in SCS conflict w/ PLAN?
its not without precedence, during Operation Iraqi Freedom the US Navy operated the LHD ship USS Bataan as a ‘Harrier Carrier’ which had 26(!) harriers on board. leaving the other LHDs with their traditional outfits. some great pictures of that if you google ‘harrier carrier’! also does anyone know the difference in payload of the F-35B when taking off from a flat-top LHD compared to using a ramp like on the QE? with the america class (especially the first 2 ships without a well deck) optimized for carrying aircraft I wonder if adding a “bolt on” ramp would be possible… Read more »
From memory a F35B at max all up weight can take off from half way on the QE class deck. The USMC blurb says a fully laden F35B can take off from the LHDs. So I’m guessing they require the full length of the deck. This means the sortie generation is a lot slower on the LHDs. As the next aircraft needs to taxi around the deck to then line up for the take off. Whereas on our carriers. The can stack up behind each other. To put less strain on the airframe our F35s can benefit from using the… Read more »
What’s that, good looks and the ability to wage war! Yep!
Amerian?
“Hell on Keels”
So, do the QE Class actually have a real Reduced RCS or is this just modern navy chic?
Hell, maybe flat panel turned out to be easier to fabricate and assemble! 😂
I think it helps to hide all the F35B’s…. hell it’s really hard to spot any…..😆
Funny!
🤗
🤣😂
The QE class does have a reduced RCS compared to a Nimitz however it’s still massive. There is a fair bit of angling on the ship design and the hull is actually strangely smooth looking. If you see a QE class and a Nimitz class up close you can see the difference.
I like a bit of Sea “Angling” !
Being a modern design I think some thought has gone into RCS reduction, the major surfaces on the Islands are not vertical for instance.
Great to see these great ship together…
Anyone got an idea what the two ships mored at Portsmouth are? Was watching HMS Warrior webcam on YouTube earlier googled for half hour and couldn’t find the info! They’re pontooned at Princess Royal jetty? Kind regards for any info!
Sorry Victory Jetty, and I found the answer on Facebook, they’re Korean, Helicopter Training Ship ‘ROKS Hansando’ & Support Ship ‘ROKS Hwacheon’ of the Korean Navy alongside Victory Jetty this weekend.
Ooh they’re a long way from home. I wish these items would make the news just to keep general people informed of allies, defence matters etc.
Navy Lookout’s Insta has a video of the Hansando arriving in Portsmouth, also available at the bottom of the website homepage.
I agree, think it’s a pretty big deal sailing half way round the planet 🌏 also south Korean Navy Wikipedia you have to go quite far down to find the information on the ships! Good allies to have! And I like their Wrens!
We should build another carrier and continue building them for other countries like the Philippines, Australia, Japan and many others for example. By doing this idea, planes can land on any no matter where they are deployed. Just imagine seeing 20+ of these carriers all in one monumental gathering. What a sight that would be yes?
Japan, South Korea and Australia all operate flat-tops that can be used for F-35B ops (not sure if the RAN have added flight deck upgrades to theirs or not though). But Japan and SK are buying F-35Bs to use off their helicopter carriers. Italy is putting their new carrier into service this year iirc and I think Spain is building another… I’m not sure how many more countries could operate carriers let alone QEs- Phillipines could never afford one, especially all the F-35s to operate from it. I’m sure Greece would love one though lol. I could also see something… Read more »
Interesting that their was only one export. US carriers dont normally go anywhere with less than 3, normally more.
Wouldn’t surprise me if there were a sub or 2 nearby but near the US coast its not uncommon for a carrier to do trials or tests without escorts depending on the threat- especially in the atlantic. If there were a russian or chinese battle group operating within a few hundred miles I bet there would be more. considering the US carrier didn’t have any planes on board im guessing it just ventured out for a quick photo-op, possibly run-ups after maintenance.
Is it really a British carrier, if 3/4 of the air wing is American 🇺🇸 ?
Er yes! Is your German (for example) built car still German if you sit in it…..er yes!
We work with our allies, always have done. If LM speeded up their build for UK, we would have a few more than the 29 or so F-35s that we have actually got.
https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/britain-takes-delivery-of-more-f-35-jets/