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🇬🇧 United Kingdom /Conflict & Security

Royal Navy aircraft carrier departs for training

From BBC News · () English

Summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • HMS Queen Elizabeth left Portsmouth Naval Base for a new phase of training with an embarked battle staff.
  • The carrier is preparing to support NATO operations and is expected to take over the Royal Navy’s “very high readiness” carrier role from HMS Prince of Wales next year.
  • Families gathered to see the ship depart, including the mother of a Petty Officer Weapons Engineer serving aboard.

HMS Queen Elizabeth has left Portsmouth Naval Base to begin the next phase of its training, with its commanding officer describing the deployment as a key step toward restoring the carrier to the Royal Navy’s “very high readiness” role.

We've returned from summer leave rested and ready for the next phase of our training

· Capt Claire ThompsonThe carrier’s commanding officer spoke before HMS Queen Elizabeth departed Portsmouth.

The aircraft carrier departed at about 18:20 BST on Saturday with an embarked battle staff. Capt Claire Thompson said the crew had returned from summer leave ready to relearn the skills needed for safe and effective aviation operations. She said integration and training would be essential as the ship prepared to carry out operational activity at the heart of NATO if required.

Thompson called the deployment a “key milestone” for the ship’s NATO role and its return to the Royal Navy’s “very high readiness” aircraft carrier status. HMS Queen Elizabeth is due to take that role from its sister ship, HMS Prince of Wales, next year.

Sailing with an embarked battle staff, integration and training is essential whilst relearning the skills required to conduct safe and effective aviation as we ensure that we are prepared to deliver operational activity at the heart of Nato should it be required

· Capt Claire ThompsonShe described the training needed to prepare the carrier for possible NATO operations.

Families watched from the shore as the carrier sailed. Annie Hoare’s son, Thomas, serves aboard as a Petty Officer Weapons Engineer. “Watching a boat that big and knowing your son is part of this is absolutely an amazing feeling, we are all so proud,” she said.

Watching a boat that big and knowing your son is part of this is absolutely an amazing feeling, we are all so proud

· Annie HoareHoare watched the carrier depart with her son serving aboard.

Hoare said her son had joined the Navy in 2018 and had served on deployments before. She acknowledged that information blackouts could be difficult for families, but praised the support provided by the Navy. “The navy is amazing and really supports families and they have really turned my son into a fine young gentleman,” she said.

The navy is amazing and really supports families and they have really turned my son into a fine young gentleman

· Annie HoareShe praised the Navy’s support for relatives during deployments.
About this summary

Originally published by BBC News. Summarized and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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