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United Kingdom · Active

HMS Queen Elizabeth (R08)

STOVL aircraft carrier

The Royal Navy’s largest-ever warship, distinguished by twin islands and a ski-jump flight deck built around F-35B operations.

Introduced2017

Speed25+ knots

RangeApprox. 10,000 nautical miles

CrewApprox. 1,600 with full air group

Platform profile

Technical overview

Manufacturer: Aircraft Carrier Alliance
Primary role: STOVL aircraft carrier
Dimensions: 280 m length · 73 m flight-deck beam
Operators: Royal Navy
Variants: Queen Elizabeth class · R08
Operational status: Active

Complete platform dossier

HMS Queen Elizabeth (R08) details

Identity

Full name: HMS Queen Elizabeth (R08)
Navy: Royal Navy
Class: Queen Elizabeth class
Type: STOVL aircraft carrier
Commissioned: 7 December 2017
Status: Active
Sister ship: HMS Prince of Wales (R09)
Builder: Aircraft Carrier Alliance

Operational roles

Carrier strike
Fleet air defence
Amphibious aviation support
Command and control
Humanitarian assistance

Ship and class

R08: HMS Queen Elizabeth
R09: HMS Prince of Wales, sister ship

Performance

Length: Approximately 280 m
Flight-deck beam: Approximately 73 m
Displacement: Approximately 65,000 tonnes
Maximum speed: 25+ knots
Range: Approximately 10,000 nautical miles

Propulsion

Integrated electric propulsion
2 × Rolls-Royce MT30 gas turbines
Diesel generators
Electric propulsion motors
Not nuclear powered

Unique design

Distinctive twin-island superstructure
Forward island primarily supports navigation
Rear island primarily supports flight operations
Largest warship built for the Royal Navy

Flight-deck systems

Ski-jump bow for short rolling takeoffs
F-35B short takeoff and vertical landing operations
No conventional catapults
No arresting wires required for F-35B recovery

Defensive configuration

Defensive approach: Operates as part of an escorted carrier strike group
Shipboard defence: Close-in and countermeasure systems support point defence

Embarked air group

Primary fighter: F-35B Lightning II
Helicopters: Merlin HM2, Merlin HC4 and Wildcat
Additional compatible aircraft: Chinook and Apache helicopters

Strengths

Restored Britain’s large fixed-wing carrier capability
Optimized for the F-35B
Distinctive twin-island architecture
Smaller core crew than comparable U.S. supercarriers

Limitations

No catapults or arresting gear for conventional carrier aircraft
Lower speed and displacement than U.S. nuclear supercarriers
Air wing capacity depends heavily on embarked deployment configuration

Operators and customers

Royal Navy

Interesting facts

Largest warship ever built for the Royal Navy.
Its ski jump supports F-35B short rolling takeoffs.
The two islands separate navigation and flight-operation functions.