Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth is conducting sea trials, having completed a programme of maintenance at Babcock’s Rosyth shipyard in Scotland.
The 65,000-tonne warship had spent eight months at the yard near Edinburgh as part of a scheduled programme which also included upgrades to her propulsion system.
The works also included a spell in dry dock for mandatory inspection of hull, propellers and rudders. Once works were completed, she was guided out of Rosyth facility’s basin via its narrow lock, assisted by seven tugs.
A press statement by Babcock noted: “HMS Queen Elizabeth has left our Rosyth facility, ready for her next chapter — a milestone we’re immensely proud to have delivered.
“Over the course of a planned maintenance programme, our highly skilled team carried out comprehensive inspection, maintenance and enhancement of the carrier’s critical systems.”
Babcock has now carried out a total of four dry-docking operations for the Royal Navy’s two Queen Elizabeth-class carriers at Rosyth during the last seven years.
Managing Director of Marine Programmes at Babcock Phil Craig commented: “At a time of increasing global uncertainty, the availability and capability of the UK’s aircraft carriers is more important than ever.
“This milestone reflects both the strength of collaboration and the depth of expertise required to sustain the Royal Navy’s most complex warships.”
Once sea trials are completed, HMS Queen Elizabeth is expected to return to Portsmouth and resume operational service.
- You can read more details on the Babcock website