The aircraft carrier is returning this evening for a quick pit-stop before her global deployment.
HMS Queen Elizabeth and her Carrier Strike Group recently took part in Exercise Strike Warrior off the Scottish coast.
The vessel will now undertake final preparations for her maiden operational deployment to the Asia-Pacific.
On the official Queens Harbour Master Portsmouth website, the vessel is listed to arrive at Portsmouth at 1655.
According to the National Museum of the Royal Navy:
“HMS Queen Elizabeth is making an unexpected return to Portsmouth. She has been on Operation Strike Warrior off the coast of Scotland and was heading back to the Solent to anchor, ahead of her maiden deployment. However with bad weather forecast and with a need to take on more supplies, she will come alongside for a short time.”
The Royal Navy say that the Carrier Strike Group will visit more than one fifth of the world’s nations when it sails next month.
“Led by HMS Queen Elizabeth, the task group will visit 40 nations including India, Japan, Republic of Korea and Singapore in a deployment covering 26,000 nautical miles. The group will also join up and take part in exercises with French carrier FS Charles De Gaulle in the Mediterranean as well as navies and aircraft from allies such as the US, Canada, Denmark, Greece, Israel, Italy, Japan and the UAE.
Joining HMS Queen Elizabeth on her maiden deployment are destroyers HMS Diamond and Defender; frigates HMS Richmond and Kent; an Astute-class submarine in support below the waves; and Royal Fleet Auxiliary support ships RFA Fort Victoria and RFA Tidespring. More than 30 aircraft will also embark across the task group including F-35 jets from 617 Squadron, the Dambusters, and the US Marine Corps’ VMFA-211; Wildcat helicopters from 815 Naval Air Squadron and Merlin helicopters from 820 and 845 Naval Air Squadrons.”
Out of beer already!!
That’s not very PC or inclusive.
These days you need to add wine to the list and don’t forget the cider….whatever you do …never forget the cider!
They could also be offloading ciggies. No smoking throughout the fleet from June. Vaping on the upper deck only.
Wave goodbye to Blue Liners
OMG, didn’t realise they were totally banning cigs. Wonder if that will affect recruitment !
Or sausages.
Maybes the Americans are sick of fish and chips and steak pies, had to have a pit stop to change the menu?!
Or load up on Corn dawgs, baloney, waffles, waffer thin, crispy pseudo bacon (probably made from turkey), syrup, peely wally eggs with pale yolks, antibiotic stuffed meat (never seen grass) and all of the other foodstuffs that an average American stuffs down their chops! In case anyone thinks I’m being unfair, my grand daughter is a US citizen and we visit and witness regularly.
cheers
Back to pick up a few dozen Bouncy bomb things for the recently announced “Site seeing” trip to the 3 Gorges ! 😐
617 Squadron ? 😀 sorry, just a bit of humour.
Oh, you do make me laugh so much…you tinker. 😀
😘
Get a few more harpoons bolted to the type 23s and type 45s and maybe some 30mms to the carrier. And most importantly gin, that’s got to last until they hit Japanese waters and get some Japanese whiskey.
Is that a “Sake” comment ? 😂
Nice one! :-).
Unfortunately none of the above is going to happen – except maybe the gin!
I’m with you Patrick. Sneak some 30mm RWS onto the carrier…while no one’s looking. 😆
I wonder how many Harpoons they have left in stock? It’s a pity they never got upgraded to a later block 2C unless thats been done in secret?
Do the fixed wing aircraft disembark while alongside?
According to Navy Lookout the fire on board RFA Fort Victoria destroyed much of the frozen food stored on board (and possibly damaged the freezer). The CSG21 might be deplayed until repairs are made..!
Cheers CR
Pitstop to pick up a few chest freezers from curry’s!?
Great footage on NavyLookout Twitter of QEC returning to Pompey complete with an air group.
( For the naysayers who were moaning last time she left with few aircraft aboard )
Have they painted over the Star and Stripes ? 😁
“Snorkers!!! Good-ohh!!!!”
Speaking of fake news, the Evening Standard is reporting that the stop is for poor weather 😂