Queen Elizabeth on exercise in Scottish waters

摘要

ROYAL NAVY aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth (R 08) has set sail from Her Majesty's Naval Base Portsmouth, Hampshire, to participate in the two-week Exercise Strike Warrior off northwest Scotland. The ship departed on May 1 for this final test of its Carrier Strike Group (CSG) before continuing with its historic 28-week maiden deployment, CSG21. After initially embarking seven Merlin HM2s (including three Crowsnest variants) from 820 Naval Air Squadron (NAS) on April 27 while still in port, once at sea it was joined by the rest of its aviation complement. This included an initial nine US Marine Corps F-35B Lightning lls from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 211 (VMFA-211) 'Wake Island Avengers' (out of a planned ten, one having been unserviceable), plus eight from the RAF's 617 Squadron. Four 815 NAS Wildcat HMA2s also joined the carrier, while three 845 NAS B Flight Merlin HC4s flew out to another of the support ships in the CSG, the Auxiliary Oiler Replenishment ship RFA Fort Victoria (A387).