HMS Queen Elizabeth begins operational sea training
The UK RN’s aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth has left its home port of Portsmouth to begin operational sea training, ahead of its first planned operational deployment in 2021.
The new vessel will undergo several weeks of assessments by the Flag Officer Sea Training (FOST) with the aim of ensuring that Britain will be able to meet its commitment to having a Carrier Strike Group ready for deployment by Q4 2020.
F-35 Lightning II fighter crews will also receive more training, to include manoeuvres from the flight decks of HMS Queen Elizabeth.
According to a statement from the RN, all personnel on board the aircraft carrier have undergone testing for the COVID-19 coronavirus and its CO has the power to cease training if it becomes necessary to do so.
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