The Royal Navy's aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth has departed for the US to carry out flight trials with F-35B fighter jets, the UK Ministry of Defence announced on 18 August.
The deployment, known as ‘WESTLANT 18’, will be the first-time HMS Queen Elizabeth will have sailed across the Atlantic.
During its trip to the US, the 65,000-tonne carrier will embark two F-35B test aircraft based out of Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, which are expected to carry out 500 take offs and landings during the carrier’s 11 weeks at sea.
The aim of these developmental trials is to ascertain the operating parameters of the aircraft and ship, in a range of conditions. Similar successful trials were conducted by HMS Queen Elizabeth at sea earlier in 2018 for rotary wing aircraft.
The trials follow the recent arrival into the UK of the first F-35B jets, based at RAF Marham. Operational testing usingBritish F-35B aircraft are scheduled to take place on board Queen Elizabeth in 2019.
At DSEI 2025, Red Cat outlines its expansion from UAVs into uncrewed surface vessels (USVs), positioning itself as a multi-domain defence provider spanning land, sea, and air.
The vessels are expected to deliver a major boost to Australia’s undersea warfare capabilities, with production set to start immediately.
Acquired under Canada’s Department of National Defence ISTAR UAS project, the drones will be deployed from the Halifax-class frigates.
The US Navy published a pre-solicitation notice of intent for the third phase of the F-35 Reprogramming Verification & Validation System. Meanwhile, with a five-year delay in its schedule, GAO foresees more postponements in the completion of the Block 4 effort.
Cutters Earl Cunningham and Storis have been monitoring five Beijing research vessels navigating in the North Pole.
The multi-award contract will support the scheduled repair and maintenance of nuclear-powered attack submarines at the US Navy’s primary public shipyards.
Connect with us on socials
