HMS Queen Elizabeth to sail for secretive air transport mission

British aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth is to sail to the Arctic Circle in a few weeks to support a multinational air transport mission, it has been revealed.

The new carrier recently returned from trials with F-35 jets but it’s understood that she is being redeployed for this mission.

The vessel is being deployed to act as an emergency landing option should a specific but classified cargo aircraft require its usage.

Other commentators have noted that that the loading of provisions would be unusual as the craft is rumoured to be elf sufficient and shouldn’t need anything else.

Part of HMS Queen Elizabeth’s recent trials involved the fitting of STOVL (Sleigh Take Off and Vixen Landing) equipment allowing for this kind of aircraft to land and take-off from the carrier.

Sources in the region were keen to stress that this special cargo mission is being supported by both NATO and Russian assets.

We understand that the undisclosed cargo is to be revealed nationwide on the morning of the 25th of this month.

According to Foreign Office spokesman Nicholas Cringle:

“We’ve received a request for assistance to support a multi-national air transport mission being launched from a currently undisclosed location within the Arctic Circle. As such, HMS Queen Elizabeth is being redirected to provide emergency provisions and a ‘back up’ option should the cargo aircraft involved need to land and refuel.”

This comes not long after it was announced that the Royal Air Force is on high alert this month in order to track cargo flights from the Arctic region.

An MoD spokesman had this to say:

“Interception is part of what the QRA force do. We have to identify and confirm who or what is flying through our airspace or approaching our airspace and since the craft appears at the same time each year, we have a fairly good idea who will be flying but we don’t take any chances.”

The Ministry of Defence used satellites with infra-red sensors to track the aircraft last time this happened, it is understood that the heat from an animals red nose was clearly visible and it was at this point RAF aircraft began escorting the bright red aircraft over every British city, town and village.

UPDATE: We understand the provisions HMS Queen Elizabeth has been loaded with include Brandy and small biscuits.