98 I HMS Queen Elizabeth
TIME LINE 1998 • The government’s Strategic Defence Review highlighted the country’s future requirement for aircraft carriers to replace the Invincible class. • Initial gate was agreed.
1999 • Design of initial concepts for the new class of aircraft carrier began.
2002 • The decision was taken that the new aircraft carriers would operate Joint Combat Aircraft using the short take-off & vertical landing (STOVL) option.
2003 • Delta design for a ship of 283 metres was agreed and the more detailed design process began. • The original Aircraft Carrier Team was formed, made up of BAE Systems, the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) and Thales UK.
2005 Assembly Cycle B This involved the combined docking of SB03 and Lower Block 02 (LB02). In order to move LB02 into the dock, the 12,000-tonne super block was floated out for the first time. Once LB02 was in place, SB03 was carefully manoeuvred in behind it and the alignment achieved between the centreline of the two blocks was approximately 1mm. The dock was then drained, signalling the start of the next phase of integration.
• The Aircraft Carrier Alliance (ACA) was created and the original team was expanded to include Babcock and VT Group (shipbuilding interests subsequently acquired by BAE Systems). • The first of two main gate agreements was reached in December.
Assembly Cycle C This involved the assembly of the remaining blocks, including the stern sections and island structures, to fully complete assembly of the ship’s hull.
2007
Construction of the second ship, HMS Prince of Wales, started in May 2011 and is well underway. At the time of the HMS Queen Elizabeth naming ceremony, all the lower and centre blocks of the second ship, as well as the ship’s islands and aircraft lifts, are in production across the UK. Indeed, the first section of hull for HMS Prince of Wales will move into the dry dock in Rosyth in August of this year, marking the beginning of the assembly phase for the second ship.
• The demonstration contract was placed and the Memorandum of Understanding for the project was signed.
• The second main gate agreement was signed.
2008 • The contract to build the QEC was signed between the MOD and BAE Systems on behalf of the ACA.
2009 • HRH the Princess Royal cut first steel on LB03 of the first aircraft carrier at BAE Systems in Glasgow. • The tier two shipyards, A&P Tyne and Cammell Laird, signed contracts for work on the programme, with the former beginning work on the hull of the first ship. • Rolls-Royce delivered the first set of stabilisers for HMS Queen Elizabeth.
Aircraft Carrier Alliance photo
HMS Prince of Wales progress
2006