In addition to 24 F-35Bs, the carrier air wing will also feature around 14 helicopters with numbers depending on operational requirements.

Captain Jerry Kyd, commander of HMS Queen Elizabeth, commented on the initial deployment and the gradual increase in air wing numbers:

“We’re constrained by the F-35 buy-rate even though that was accelerated in SDSR in 2015, so initial operating capability numbers in 2020 are going to be very modest indeed. We will flesh it out with helicopters, and a lot depends on how many USMC F-35s come on our first deployment in 2021.

But by 2023, we are committed to 24 UK jets onboard, and after that it’s too far away to say.”

This however assumes that both 617 Sqn and 809 NAS will deploy all of their aircraft at the same time with none in repair, leading some to comment that this may not be a realistic expectation.

Around 2023, the Ministry of Defence have indicated that the UK will have 42 F-35 aircraft with 24 being ‘front-line fighters’ and the remaining 18 will be used for training (at least 5 on the OCU), be in reserve or in maintenance.

Recently, the Ministry of Defence confirmed plans for the deployment of American F-35 aircraft alongside British jets aboard HMS Queen Elizabeth.

The addition of US Marine Corps aircraft will see HMS Queen Elizabeth sail with 24 or so F-35Bs in addition to around 14 or so helicopters for her maiden deployment. It is understood that the US aircraft will augment British jets on coalition operations.

The term now used for the carriers embarked squadrons is ‘Carrier Air Wing’ (CVW). The vessels are capable of deploying a variety of aircraft in large numbers, up to a maximum in the upper fifties in surge conditions. We understand that the composition of the CVW is a balance between ship capacity and squadron availability. Squadrons assigned or ‘programmed’ to sail on deployment will mostly in the case of the aircraft carrier be unique to it.

Captain Jerry Kyd also spoke about the vessels:

“The Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers are the product of a pioneering partnership between UK industry and the Ministry of Defence. As the Royal Navy’s flagships for the next 50 years, these ships will employ cutting edge technology to deliver fighting power at sea and over land.

Symbolising our nation in both steel and spirit, the Queen Elizabeth Class carriers will be powerful ambassadors for Britain on the global stage, in both peace time and times of conflict. These ships truly will be at the forefront of British military power projection for decades for generations to come.”

HMS Queen Elizabeth is expected to start fixed-wing flight trials with three or more British F-35Bs off the eastern coast of the US towards the end of the summer of 2018.

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George has a degree in Cyber Security from Glasgow Caledonian University and has a keen interest in naval and cyber security matters and has appeared on national radio and television to discuss current events. George is on Twitter at @geoallison
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Nick Bowman
Nick Bowman
7 years ago

Order more. I understand the reasons for our cautious approach to date. The aircraft have now developed in capability so that the greater risk is under-utilizing our expensive carrier asset or, worse still, leaving it relatively undefended.

David
David
7 years ago
Reply to  Nick Bowman

I agree Nick and to your last point; it seems incredulous to me that we would spend 6Bn on two carriers and not properly equip them with self defense missiles and instead rely on only 3 CIWS…. every other carrier operating navy in the world recognizes the need for point defence missiles and has them fitted – even the French CdG has Aster 15. Why did we omit this??? If we are going to spend so much on the carriers then spend the extra to fit them with proper self defence missiles! Crazy!

Ian Roberts
Ian Roberts
7 years ago
Reply to  David

100%

David
David
7 years ago

Whilst I am relieved that HMG committed to the full 138 buy in SDSR 2015, the devil was in the details. The buy is over the ‘life of the program’ meaning on average only a handful would be purchased in any one year. My concern is that by allowing the USMC to use our carriers, it is a way for the government to purchase as few as UK jets as absolutely possible and so do defence in the cheap – as we have all come to expect these days. We need our own organic air wing in sufficient numbers and… Read more »

Nathan
Nathan
7 years ago
Reply to  David

Please dont believe argentina has any capability to take the falklands, research the sorry state of argentine forces… https://youtu.be/_fg5amio4jU

Matt
Matt
7 years ago
Reply to  David

I imagine if a sympathetic US Government was in power at the time of such an event, they would perhaps consider leasing the USMC aircraft onboard to the British Government, and ideally we would provide our own aircrew for them, provided the UK had enough excess F-35 crew on strength.

Just theoretical of course.

Mike
Mike
6 years ago
Reply to  David

The RAF has a flight of Typhoons down there in the first instance. There is also far more firepower than the few Royal Marines there were in ’82.

Read the news mate.

Ali
Ali
7 years ago

So thats 617sqd permanently at sea on the first global…9 months+ at least. Why join the RAF to be a matelot? It’s the same problems all over again as with JFH and then before in the 70’s with the Bucaneer and Phantom crews on the old Ark and before that in the 1930’s. The first 100 or so airframes need to be to the FAA to ensure the RN have enough for the QE2 and PoW deployments. They need to be at sea where they are designed to be. Maybe HMG could get round the problem by spending a whole… Read more »

Mike
Mike
6 years ago
Reply to  Ali

You going to pay the extra tax?

Steve
Steve
7 years ago

This is insane, we are basically saying we are launching and paying for a new carrier for the US. I can see the advantage of cross decking with allies, but when we have to rely on the US to provide more than a token number of planes on our insanely pricey carriers it is madness. Clearly the MOD is in worse state than even we realise, and can’t afford to push more jets today and is hoping one day in the future things will change. The problem is amplified by not going cat/trap, meaning that French carrier jets can’t cross… Read more »

Mike
Mike
6 years ago
Reply to  Steve

Cats and traps-bollocks. Do you have any idea how difficult it would be to try and support different aircraft types like Rafael M? The bloody logistics guys would be having kittens.

Nick Cole
Nick Cole
6 years ago
Reply to  Steve

Actually political interference and constraints. Procurement can only follow what they are authorised to do!

John Stevens
John Stevens
7 years ago

I wonder if on deployment in 2023 they could have 12 -16 UK f35’s plus 8 USMC f35’s for example, would then be around the figure they are saying..

would still leave 8 – 12 front line fighters plus OCU and reserve f35’s at RAF Marham.

Dan
Dan
7 years ago
Reply to  John Stevens

If we can muster 24 at that point they should all be on the carrier. What’s more interesting is what she will carry on her first deployment in 2020/2021…

Bruce Palmer
Bruce Palmer
7 years ago

Both of the carriers need to be fitted with CAMM, since the escort numbers are so ridiculously low. And, a proper number of fighters.

Mike
Mike
6 years ago
Reply to  Bruce Palmer

C’mon expert, what’s a proper number of fighters? Were there 24 stealth, supersonic jets with ultra long range air to air missiles on Invincable or Illustrious? NO!, but no one bloody complained about them.

Richard
Richard
7 years ago

This seems crazy, if we can’t afford to properly equip an aircraft carrier, then we can’t afford an aircraft carrier. There is no other reason to spend £6bn a piece on these ships than for them to field aircraft in order to project power. Very charitably they’ll have an operating life of 50 years, so they’ll presumably eventually be properly equipped but it’s just too slow. Whilst I’m all for cooperation, after all it would be better if we could cooperate with everyone so that we wouldn’t need these things at all, relying on U.S aircraft to fill the holes… Read more »

andy hutchinson
andy hutchinson
6 years ago

if the US are going to be on board do they have the f35b version as i thought they only had the f35c version..or am i wrong…..

Mike
Mike
6 years ago

The US Marines will operate F35B too-that’s why it’s being suggested ?