HMS Queen Elizabeth sailed from Portsmouth on the 18th August and arrived at Naval Sation Mayport, Florida for her first visit to the United States on 5th September. This photo and video essay documents the initial part of her Westlant 18 deployment.
HMS Queen Elizabeth’s Navigating officer explains the use of the sextant
Mk 4 Merlins practice VERTREP
Interview with Commodore Andrew Betton and Captain Jerry Kyd
Anti-submarine Merlins Mk2s of 820 Naval Air Squadron on board HMS Queen Elizabeth
HMS Monmouth conducts 4.5″ Gunnex
On board as HMS Queen Elizabeth arrives in Mayport, Florida.
The RN stated before she sailed that HMS Queen Elizabeth has embarked 700 tonnes of relief stores and contingency planning has been made for disaster relief operations in the Caribbean if required. QE is now conveniently placed to assist if called on but RFA Mounts Bay is already in the region and very well prepared. QE would probably only needed if there was damage of similar severity to that experienced in the wake of Hurricane Irma last year. Everyone fervently hopes this will not be the case, although some storms are forecast.
Assuming she is not needed for relief operations, it is expected QE will only be in Mayport for a few days to collect fuel and supplies before conducting some warm weather trials in the Carribean. She will then head north to Naval Station Norfolk for an extended visit, prior to F-35 trials which will probably start sometime during the third week of September. More news and updates will be posted here as the deployment progresses.
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F-35 flight trials continue. HMS Queen Elizabeth Westlant 18 deployment – Part 4
Fast jets on deck. F-35 arrives on HMS Queen Elizabeth
Outstanding collection of photos & videos. many thanks.
The white uniforms the ratings wear is outstanding.
( I believe they are #11’s, as #1’s are blues)
‘No.’ please Rick, not ‘#’ – remember which navy you are talking about! Otherwise yes, all of the tropical whites are outstanding!
Rose Compass, I thought all the naval uniforms are assigned numbers? Standing orders of the day will specify a number for dress. As an example, 2A’s are gunshirt & blue trousers but no jumper.
I believe Rose Compass is referring to the use of “#” is that an american thing?? We say No 1’s or number 1’s
Okay got it
Thank you gilburton, you’re spot on. Whilst one should be mindful of the authoritativeness or otherwise of Wikipedia, it is the easiest reference work to reach for, and so I’ll rest my case with this:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Number_sign#Usage_in_the_United_Kingdom_and_Ireland
Why?
All this naval willy waving is becoming rather tiresome.
I see that HMS Albion is causing a diplomatic incident in the South China seas by deliberately and provocatively sailing close to the Chinese controlled Paracel islands to dispute Chinese sovereignty. This at a time when we, a fading power, have Imperial outposts like Diego Garcia. I wonder what the Chagossian refugees think about this troubling double standards.
The Chinese are threatening ‘broader consequences’ to UK-Chinese relations at a vulnerable time in our history when we are looking hungrily at other major economies for post Brexit deals.
Today, economic power is the true indicator of a nations wealth, prestige and place in the world. Military power is a byproduct of economic success. We shouldn’t forget the lessons of history.
Well Iqbal if you are blinkered enough only to judge a nation by its economic success, then Blighty still comes in at number 5
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(nominal)
Sean, deploying an unescorted and virtually unarmed assault ship in disputed waters is a public admission that the emperor has no clothes. An economically vibrant country would arm its forces adequately. A responsible nation would align its military/geopolitical objectives with available resources.
I wonder how far we will fall from 5th spot as a result of Brexit?
Except it wasn’t “deployed”.
It was simply passing through from those waters from Japan to Vietnam, it’s next stop.
If the Azores claimed ownership of the Atlantic would that mean we should send all shipping and flights to the USA via the North Pole and Canada instead of across the Atlantic?
Yes China has more and bigger armed forces.. but that is the reason why we have international law. To ensure that might does not mean right, and that bullies cannot impose their opinions on others.
I don’t think that the Chinese really care, they know that we’re not a threat.
This from a man that constantly advocates further disarming the navy lol. The hypocracy is visible to all. As long as it weakens Britain iqbal is for it.
Except that there’s a huge difference between any UK overseas possessions and the Spratly Islands and Parcels: legal ownership.
Both countries only came by their ‘possessions’ through acts of unilateral imperialism, violence and injustice.
We can hardly argue with the Chinese, given the UK’s shaneful imperial legacy.
If you believe the UK’s imperial legacy is shamefull, then surely you should be condemning the Chinese for behaving the same way! The democracies of this world need to confront the Chinese before they take over the world and impose their totalitarian control on all of us.
You know what? I’m sad that China is doing this. A nation that has suffered so much by being bossed around within living memory and meddled with by powerful nations eg. Boxer Rebellion and Japanese intervention and decides to do the same thing (building artificial islands and occupying East Turkistan and Tibet) now that it is powerful.
However, the remains of the British empire trying to assert influence with yesterday’s technology very far from home and reminding them of the Opium Wars is not the answer to opening up China to co-operate in the international fora.
Meanwhile, we shouldn’t try to overstate our relevance to the world by pointless gestures.
Totalitarian bullies do not co-operate, sooner or later they have to be confronted.
Damn those Brits have nothing to be proud of. They only formed the first society with literal laws and trial before imprisonment, created the most spoken language in the world, conquered a quarter of the world’s land forming the largest empire in the world, held an island for hundreds of years without ever being invaded, defeated the Germans not once but twice in separate world wars.
And those fish and chips…. bloody hell they are delish.
Please stop using the word ‘we’ to try and encompass those of us who love this country and wish to defend it against your by now rather boring fifth column, wannabe Haw Haw, terrorist sympathizing rhetoric.
I sympathize with the Chagos Islanders and do not agree with the way in which the UK forcibly removed them. However Diego Garcia and the rest of the island chain were and remain internationally recognised as British sovereign territory. Bit different to dumping millions of tons of sand into the sea with the explicit intention of extending your territorial waters/air-space into the neighbours back garden…..
‘Military power is a byproduct of economic success’ Tell that to North Korea!
All this Chinese naval willy waving is becoming rather tiresome. I see that HMS Albion is causing a diplomatic incident in the South China seas by lawfully and legitimately sailing in international waters.
The Chinese are threatening ‘broader consequences’ to UK-Chinese relations as maybe expected.
Today, upholding international rules laws and values is the true indicator of a nations wealth, prestige and place in the world.. We shouldn’t forget the lessons of history.
Would have been an even more impressive thing if our allies had joined us. Imagine if the Albion was escorted by a Dutch and Greek frigate and a Australian destroyer. I guess they all need Chinese trade.
Fabulous article which I look forward to reading in greater detail. Well done to everybody who is on this deployment, superb effort.
Great report. Hope the officers and crew are well received and have a great time while in the US.
One good thing about these photos, practically all the photo close up of the crew show woman officers, pilots and sailors. That reflects positively on the RN and our values as a nation.
Lets hope that the day soon comes that the forces stop the virtue signalling of parading woman,darker skinned people,homosexuals Muslims, Hindus, etc around like trophies.
Right and when they do that, the people you mention think there special.
Really. We have non white people and women. So what?
I was censored for saying that!
Cowardly custards
Warning MOD press release. Again why bother? The F35 could have flown to the UK to practice Hundreds of thousands wasted on a pr exercise.
Oh dear, All that PR puff for nothing.It seems that the sailors have let us down on a visit to the US yet again.
What by doing what sailors have done through the ages with shore leave having a few beers , chase the skirt and have a rumble with the law.
I would feel let down if they failed in time honoured tradition of shore leave.
I have a considerable amount of experience in this field,but I have never had to be tasersed.The story really depends on of the tolerance level of the local cops.The boomer/cocaine event was more serious.
Agreed, drunken fighting sailors doesn’t bother me in the least.
Full details now published in the Portsmouth evening news complete with mugshots ,embarrassing for those involved, but not really that bad.