GLASGOW, Scotland, Dec. 11 (UPI) — The final section for the HMS Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier program began its delivery voyage from Glasgow to Rosyth, BAE Systems reports.
The section, known as the Aft Island, will be installed on the HMS Prince of Wales, the second aircraft carrier in the program. The 750-ton element will control aircraft operations on the second carrier.
“Our aircraft carriers, the largest ships ever built in Scotland for the Royal Navy, will help to secure the UK’s interests both at home and abroad,” U.K. Minister of State for Defense Procurement Philip Dunne said in a statement. “This is all made possible by our growing Equipment budget, which has increased to £178billion ($269.7 billion), ensuring we are providing our men and women with the best equipment possible.”
The 65,000-ton carriers, at 918 feet long, are longer than the Houses of Parliament. They are the first aircraft carriers to use a “twin-island” design, with the Forward Island controlling the ship and the Aft Island handling mission systems and air traffic control. Both islands can take over the functions of the other in the event of emergency. The carriers will support Lockheed Martin-built F-35 Lightning II multi-role fighters, scheduled to begin flying from the decks of HMS Queen Elizabeth in 2018.
The aircraft carriers are being delivered by a combination of industrial partners known as the Aircraft Carrier Alliance. The alliance includes BAE Systems, Thales U.K., Babcock, and the U.K. Ministry of Defense.
The Royal Navy says the carriers will be used to support the British security interests both at home and abroad.
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