New aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth debuts in U.K. home port
NewsAugust 17, 2017
PORTSMOUTH, England. The future flagship of Britain's navy, the future HMS Queen Elizabeth, sailed into her home port of Portsmouth for the first time on the morning of August 16.
The 71,000-ton aircraft carrier -- the largest warship ever built for the Royal Navy -- will berth at the Portsmouth naval base, which will be home to both of the Royal Navy’s new aircraft carriers. The second, HMS Prince of Wales, will be officially named next month.
The ship has been undergoing sea trials off the Scottish coast and sailed with the USS George HW Bush and her carrier strike group during at-sea exercises earlier in August. The Royal Navy currently has 11 state-of-the-art F-35 Lightning II multirole fighter jets and 120 naval personnel training in the U.S. in preparation for their first trial flights from the carrier's deck in 2018.
