Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon has announced that HMS Prince of Wales will be officially named at a ceremony in Rosyth on the 8th of September 2017.
The announcement was made during a visit to HMS Queen Elizabeth at sea.
According to an ACA press release:
“The Defence Secretary landed by Merlin helicopter on the deck of the new aircraft carrier HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH, which is currently on sea trials off the coast of Scotland. He met with members of the crew and thanked them for their contribution to UK defence.”
While addressing the Ship’s Company, Sir Michael Fallon said:
“Our carrier programme is a clear demonstration of British power and commitment to our global standing. With two aircraft carriers we will have one available at all times, providing a world-class carrier strike capability. They offer a prodigious promise to future generations of our determination to continue fronting up to aggression for years to come.
“The magnificent HMS Queen Elizabeth provides us with power on a scale we have never seen before. Protecting us for the next half a century, she will be a highly versatile and potent force, capable of both humanitarian and disaster relief and high-end war fighting.”
It’s a lot closer to being ready than i expected.
An imposing sight and great to see! Hopefully the lessons learned from QE will mean that we won’t have to wait another 3yrs before she begins her sea trials.
Not happening David, every single mistake that was made on QEC is repeated on PW. The explanation is: “It is too expensive to rework the drawings” So the same old story. Guys are doing the wrong jobs knowingly just because it is in the contract. If they don’t do it, they don’t get paid. Of course as soon as they are done and the QC “mark” them as wrong, the guys strip the job down and “provide” fix… The money just go around and around. Perhaps you will call this BS, however just find someone that is working in the… Read more »
Having done a few refits in Rosyth that is no surprise to hear.
It was bad enough when it went from a Royal to a Babcock yard and it looks like nothing has changed except the name.
Honestly, I’ve spoken to a few “old timers” with 20+ years in the yard and everyone says that is getting worst. Everyone of them is pushing hard for voluntary redundancy or early pension, is that bad.
Not sure if that’s accurate information mate I have a good friend who works at rosyth for Babcock who said they are about 8 weeks ahead of schedule on POW. I suppose we will have to wait and see
Sad new indeed. Is it any wonder the government ordered the wave class tankers to be built in korea. Likely recieved them for half the price in half the time frame.
This picture was taken a few weeks ago, before the covers were taken off the deck of HMS QE.
Hopefully it will be even more shipshape by the 8th September??!!!!!
I am sorry Rob but you are 100% wrong.
This photo is taken last year (2016) Right now the Prince of Wales flight deck is covered with scaffolding, not to mention that if you look at the right side of the photo you can clearly see (between the ship and the Goliath crane) QEC with her painters tents on flight deck siting in the basin.
Just saying lol
I agree that my statement was wrong. However, my central point is correct. The picture is misleading. As we have both stated, you can see QEC docked in the basin with her flight deck covered.
Living in Hertfordshire I do not have have easy access to Rosyth!!
Time, I think, for UKDJ to be a little more careful about how they explain the context of why and when photos were taken.
My statement would have been better if there was the addition of *must have at least been* in the first sentence.
Rob
No harm intended Rob, I was just qualifying.
Just to make it clear by what I can see on QEC this photo was taken perhaps between June and August last year. I can see the tent on the aft end and the HAKI tent along the aft port side of QEC, they both went down about September 2016.
Be well
Audi
Why prince of Wales the last one did not last long,should be a better name,my choice RODNEY. at least she sunk something.
Warspite
Why? – do you have champagne on ice??
Will Prince of Wales only sail when Queen Elizabeth is in refit? I can’t imagine having enough F35s and escorts for two carrier battle groups.
Not to mention that there is not enough budget or personnel to run them both at the same time.
Hi Audi. Enjoy reading your comments on tech details.
Wont the Ocean crew go to POW?
I think there was a recent announcement on the readiness of the second carrier which would not be as mothballed as feared.
Escorts if necessary could come from other NATO nations. One must not think constantly
of a stand alone situation like the Falklands.
The shortage is in Merlin assets, with only 3 squadrons planned.
I’m still relieved we have the two carriers rather than one.
The latest term for mothballed, seems to be alongside training ship and before that extended readiness. My guess this is what will happen to one of the two carriers at anyone time.
I think that is perfectly fine – we do not need to have 2 operational so long as one of them is available at all times. It should extend their useful lives too.
Hi Daniele Mandelli, Thank you. However I will not consider myself a leading expert lol. I am only a guy that spent the last 5 years working in the yard and QEC. I am still in the yard but involved with something different nowadays. The only opinion or point of view I can offer is from what I’ve seen with my own eyes including data, drawings, cost calculations, QC reports and so on. I understand that someone can see me as a “negative” in my views. I can assure you that I am not. I am immensely proud that I… Read more »
Who told you that? Cause its wrong.
Lack of resourse to run to active carrier groups at the same time. I would have thought therefore tat we would be fitting the electro cat system to PoW. I know it will delay her for a couple of years and cast a few bob (given we are already spending billions on them anyway). surely when she is ready for active service in 2024 with the cat, she will allow QE to come in for a refit and new cat fitment (I understand she has been designed to able to have them retro fitted ? surely then the two carriers… Read more »
Bulwark is about to go into extended readiness.
Albion is about to take over the Amphib Flagship role.
They are not going anywhere for quite a few years yet.
I’d like to scrap you. Honestly….I shall pay for a one way ticket for you to Bangladesh.
I don’t think anyone can argue against it, since we do not have enough escorts to operate 2 decks and we could put all 48 f35’s on 1 carrier instead of splitting in half and really be in the same position.
The question really will be how will the politicians spin it, to sound like we have 2 operational carriers.
Steve / Rob
Surely when ocean is paid off / sold they will need a amphibious Carrier Bulwark and
HMS Albion cannot carry enough aircraft for a Amphibious carrier She will have to ready to embarking Royal Marines in case another Falklands or war breaks out If Lizzie is in the south china sea she will have to be crewed we should hang on to Ocean or buy another assault ship carrier and we cannot send this size ship in close to land for troop landings with no weapons
I assume the 2nd carrier will be at ‘extended readiness’ for scenarios like you outline, but in reality we do not have enough people to man both at the same time nor are there sufficient escorts to operate 2 carrier groups without the help of our allies. Agree with the need to replace Ocean but she has been sacrificed to crew the POW and release some budget. No sign of the MOD acknowledging that we need another assault ship let alone ordering one. That would require more funds from an already stretched defence budget with some rather large holes in… Read more »
Gentlemen, If I may please…. From what “the word on the street” is, they will not be operational at the same time for all of the reasons that everyone above have mentioned. The idea is to have one operational Aircraft and the second one ready to go if the need arises. However from the conversations I personally had with ranking officers on QEC before she sailed away was: They do have skeleton crew to form a ship company for the PW but not 100% cover. I am not even going to discuss the shortage of planes. One other important and… Read more »
I really hope the TMS story is not true, as this would be ultimately penny pinching, just how much can 4 coated areas cost, considering that they are fundamental for the carriers primary role of being a aircraft carrier.
How much…try about 1.2 mill for each…. Is it true…lets see….The company that have done the job on QEC is …away. Monitor Coating are no longer in the yard…for now. American contractor company who supplied and build the TMS tents were told to go home…The company that was taking care of the environment inside the tents is not longer in the yard. They were told to pack and go home…. The original plan for TMS to start on PW was….. June 2017…after that September…..the next one was “just” after the New Year….. In the mean time all the above company… Read more »
This is crazy penny pinching. £5m for all the coated areas and they’re trying to save that amount on a > £3bn ship and as a result make it unable to fulfill it’s primary purpose? I think I’m going to declare this as the single biggest piece of insanity in UK defence spending that I’ve ever heard. Out of interest Audi, on a technical matter … Is it just the designated vertical landing areas that are coated or is there also a bit of coating just at the entry to, and maybe also a bit of the way up, the… Read more »
Hi Julian, Patch one (from the ski jump going aft) is next to the first Island. Bottom of the ski jump but to the left next to the island. Patches 2 and 3 are almost square dead on between the two islands on the centre line. Patch 3 finishes almost in line with the aft end of the aft island. Patch 4 is approximately about 10/12 meters after 3. When I say centre line I refer to the runaway line (black paint on the deck, running all the way from aft to the top of the ski jump) This is… Read more »
Hi Audi. It certainly does answer my question. Many thanks for the really detailed reply.
I have tried in the past to understand exactly what extended readiness means in regards to time frames for being brought out, if needed, but failed.
I think the reality is we are not planning around the assumption of being able to operate alone anymore, and so we will bring the carrier and someone else will bring the LPH.
If you consider a small conflict where America decides to remain out, then outside France we are the only ally that has a carrier available and part of the time we are the only one since France only has 1.
Love it. Keep going TH – if you want to waste your time with entertaining posts like that on a website full of pro-defence contributors then by all means!
You do however completely miss the point. No one is set to invade or mess with us true, but that is in part due to our military and alliances!
Now you mention it Rob I’ve realised that I’m quite enjoying watching him/her waste their time shouting into the wind as well. Why TH? This is not an audience that you are going to convert. If anything you are helping me to see even more clearly how important our defence and power projection capabilities are. In a world where global policing via alliances is required at least we are one of the less pathetic countries in terms of taking a “let the USA do it all” attitude. It needs to be a collective effort and it is people who take… Read more »
Is it me or could TH’s first name be ‘Thomas’?
Surely not …..
I think Thomas is a slightly more moderate and potentially acceptable version of TH. I think he realises a change of persona was required!
Assuming they don’t have a defense review in the meantime and sell off one of the carriers, i am guessing they will want a media story with a picture of both carriers next to each other with jets onboard. As such they need to properly finish her.
They have a while to do that though, at least 5 years, more I would assume before we have enough F35s for that photo shoot.
The lack of f35’s is going to be a real problem for many years to come. The public purse must be in real problems, if we can not afford to place a firm order on a reasonable number and the politicians are willing to take the huge media backlash from it.
Piss off Lilly
Don’t feed the troll.
Great! I enjoy British navy ))
I agree with the group, one carrier avalable at all times with the other at low readiness with a reduced crew.
Forgot Helicopter carriers, it’s a role that’s going to be allowed to fade away, it also brings the long term future of the RM’s into some doubt, at least in its current guise.