WATCH: HMS Queen Elizabeth sails with the USS George H.W. Bush and her escorts

6

HMS Queen Elizabeth is currently on contractor sea trials off the coast of Scotland where met up with a taskgroup of ships taking part in Exercise Saxon Warrior.

An aircraft was launched to capture this gathering.

The Nimitz class carrier has more than 60 Royal Navy sailors and Royal Marines on board, who have been working with their US counterparts to hone carrier strike skills ahead of HMS Queen Elizabeth’s entry into service.

Captain Kyd, HMS Queen Elizabeth’s Commanding Officer, said:

“The USS George HW Bush battle group is an awesome embodiment of maritime power projection.

And given that the United Kingdom’s Carrier Strike Group Commander and his staff are embedded on board the US carrier for Saxon Warrior shows the closeness of our relationship with the US Navy and the importance that both nations place on the delivery of the UK’s Carrier Strike programme. 

HMS Queen Elizabeth is at the start of her journey to generate to full warfighting capability, but we are working hard to ready ourselves to take our place in operations and the line of battle alongside our closest allies.”

As well as the USS George HW Bush, the group includes two Portsmouth-based Type 23 frigates, HMS Westminster and HMS Iron Duke, destroyer USS Donald Cook, missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea and the Norwegian frigate HNoMS Helge Ingstad.

Captain Ken Houlberg, Chief of Staff to the Commander of the UK Carrier Strike Group, said:

“The US Navy, out of huge generosity, has given us the whole of their carrier strike group so that we can practise the command and control of a carrier doing these operations in British waters so that when HMS Queen Elizabeth comes into service later this year we will be well on the way to forming our own carrier strike capability.”

The exercise, which has been at play for nearly a week, has seen UK staff work with their American counterparts to fight off a series of simulated threats from enemy forces, using all the air, surface and sub-surface assets of the entire task group.

There are 15 ships from across NATO taking part in the exercise, called Exercise Saxon Warrior, with more than 100 aircraft and nearly 10,000 people.

Lieutenant Commander James Capps, a Royal Navy fixed wing pilot who is the Fixed Wing Operations Officer on the exercise, said:

“We are extremely fortunate. Being here on the George HW Bush has given us the opportunity to see where we are and what we need to achieve for our own UK carrier strike capability and to be here to see how the US does it has been fantastic preparation. They have been so welcoming and we are extremely grateful for the experience.”

The Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon announced on Monday that Britain’s new aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth is set to enter her new home in Portsmouth in around two weeks.

Weather conditions mean the exact date of the historic moment is yet to be confirmed, the window for entry will open next Thursday 17 August, with her arrival expected to be no later than the following Tuesday 22 August.

With only three other countries in the world building aircraft carriers, HMS Queen Elizabeth will give Britain the capability to lead the way in tackling global issues in an increasingly uncertain world, from providing humanitarian relief to high-end war fighting.

Avatar photo
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
Subscribe
Notify of
guest

6 Comments
oldest
newest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Mr Bell
Mr Bell
6 years ago

Excellent footage. QE nearly as large as Nimitz class.
both dwarfed however by the size of the worlds oceans.

alister kelly
alister kelly
6 years ago

1st class to see this after 51 years in the merchant navy as ships cook, I used to take part in these exercise, with Briggs marine, contract with m.o.d. with nations of other country’s

Aaron
Aaron
6 years ago

It’s a proud moment to see for sure, and I can’t help noticing that British designs look way ahead of those from the US. Our carrier looks a decade or more advanced than the modified Nimitiz of late, and our Type 45s equally more advanced than an Arleigh Burke.They still have this lattice mast arrangement going on, reminiscent of WW2 ships.

Chuck
6 years ago
Reply to  Aaron

The Queen needs two bridges, when the US can do it with one, plus the ski jump which limits loads, while the US can launch what ever they want, plus the US Carrier holds more planes and can defend its self against missile and small boat attack, while the Queen cannot. The nes US Carrier looks way ahead, again with only one single bridge area, which creates more deck space also.

Lenn
Lenn
5 years ago
Reply to  Aaron

Don’t be so obsessed with looks dude. That doesn’t mean anything in weapons of war.

paul stewart
paul stewart
6 years ago

Seems like were new to having carriers if we got to go and learn from the yanks