According to a member of the ships company we spoke to, HMS Queen Elizabeth is likely to sail soon with the crew having been told when to expect to sail.
This has not been confirmed officially by the Aircraft Carrier Alliance and readers intending to see the ship should note that the bridges over the Forth will be closed to the public as the vessel departs.
A member of the ships company we spoke to told the UK Defence Journal:
“We are expected to sail on Sunday maybe a day sooner but expect a sail date next week.”
The potential for a delay until next week is because “the weather forecast for the weekend isn’t great” we were told.
The earlier news of the slippage in trials of HMS Queen Elizabeth is no secret, the ship was supposed to sail in Spring. In such complex engineering projects, this type of occurrence isn’t a cause for concern nor is it unusual. HMS Queen Elizabeth, after all, is essentially a prototype and the Ministry of Defence can’t afford to get it wrong.
Defence secretary Michael Fallon said:
“It has always been our intention that Queen Elizabeth should be accepted into the Royal Navy before the end of this year. We are not giving specific dates as to when the sea trials are likely to commence.”
Image obtained by the UK Defence Journal shows supercarrier HMS Queen Elizabeth at night in Rosyth. #Supercarrier pic.twitter.com/TqxeI8BqtF
— UK Defence Journal (@UKDefJournal) June 21, 2017
Lt Gen. Mark Poffley, Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff for Military Capability, said:
“There have been a series of technical issues associated with bringing the vessel to the point where she can commence her sea trials.”
It is understood that this minor delay is ‘not outside the tolerance’ of the programme.
Good luck to all her crew at this exciting time. let’s hope that Prince Of Wales, can be completed and commissioned, without political interference.
I guess the ‘PC’ team will be keen to get back trail data from ‘QE’, in order to avoid any initial problems on its first trial.
I see that RFA Tidespring has left dock, having presumably completed the fitting of sensitive equipment, and is now alongside in Falmouth.
Strong winds over the weekend would seem to indicate that Monday would be the earliest, which coincides with the new moon. Do they need the high tide to get through the dock gates? If so 05.05 may be possible, as it should be light enough by then, but probably 17.30 is more likely. At risk of crashing the website, there’s this link to the webcam at Rosyth for those who can’t be there in person.
http://forth-bridges.co.uk/queensferry-crossing/gallery-queens/rosyth-dockyard-webcam.html
Ahh, link – nice one fella
Can access that on my MacBook Air
Can’t wait to see the ship going.
Do we know if a TV Channel is planning to do a series on the operation of the new carrier?
Russia Today would no doubt like to
It is very good that British navy is coming to Bahrain
Business will boom in Bahrain ! More safety and more stability in Bahrain ! Thanks to all who have made it possible . Wish you all the best for your mission!
I notice that her ‘special’ tug SD TEMPEST is running up the East Coast at present with e.t.a Rosyth of 11.00hrs on 23rd June so things are definitely on the move !
Tim – I see Tempest is actually in No 3 dock having entered the basin at about 10.45 UTC today (24th). It would have been rather appropriate to see QE depart Rosyth today on Armed Forces Day…
…and now joined by another large tug SD Salvor from Southampton. Long way to come for a false alarm….
Nothing is more essential than defence of the realm. Without it, we don’t get to pontificate on what else is essential
Indeed, the governments one and only job is to defend the nation and its people.
After that, it is all just vote buying.
TH you really are a very silly individual PW isn’t going to be sold , the financial burden you speak of is caused by the Highway robbery policy of “WEALTH REDISTRIBUTION” promoted as socialism that is urinated up against the wall on welfare etc etc
Thank you Jeremy; maybe if we give her to Putin that will improve relations with s fellow comrade.
Nothing more essential than the defence of the citizens on the UK.
Thing is Jeremy, the older carriers didn’t stop IRA terrorism either.
A tank cannot stop terrorism.
A jet cannot stop terrorism.
A submarine cannot stop terrorism.
So, your comment is pointless.
And let’s not pretend that the anti-armed forces are also anti-terrorism.
Your lot are at the front of the queue defending terrorists whenever one of them goes kinetic.
Joe – Well said. Sadly sometimes you do have to state the obvious to those who are a sandwich short of a picnic.
But as far as jets are concerned I think our Typhoons and Tornados are stopping a few ISIS terrorists in Iraq and granting them their wish of martyrdom ….