Aircraft Carrier

Filling a gap in the UK Carrier Strike Group screen protecting the supercarrier HMS Queen Elizabeth, a Royal Navy Wildcat helicopter successfully fired new Martlet lightweight missiles for the first time during frontline operations.

The Royal Navy's latest supercarrier, HMS Prince of Wales, has launched jet-propelled drones from its flight deck for the first time as an experiment to see if autonomous aircraft can replace crewed fighters in simulated in-coming attack exercises.

The Royal Navy is ready to begin operational training of its new Merlin "Crowsnest" Airborne Surveillance And Control (ASaC) helicopter as it prepares for the aircraft's first deployment aboard the supercarrier HMS Queen Elizabeth later this year.

Boeing's F/A-18 Super Hornet has made its first launch from a "ski jump" ramp. No, it's not a dare or some weird new winter sport but a demonstration to show the Indian Navy that the fighter jet can safely operate from its aircraft carriers.

President Emmanuel Macron has announced that France will replace the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle with a nuclear-powered carrier in 2038. Once completed, the carrier will displace 75,000 tonnes, have a length of 980 ft and carry a crew of 2,000.

Boeing has been awarded a US$30-million contract to develop a supersonic ramjet missile in cooperation with the US Navy. The SPEAR flight demonstrator will help determine technical requirements for future missiles to defend Navy carriers.

With the press of a button, Britain's second supercarrier hit a major milestone as HMS Prince of Wales fired up her four Wärtsilä diesel generators for the first time under the supervision of 40 Royal Navy and civilian engineers and pumped out 11 megawatts each, or enough to supply a town of 25,000.

The French Navy has announced that it will replace the nuclear aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle when it reaches the end of its service life in the 2030s and has ordered an 18-month study to determine the architecture of one or more new carriers that will take the place of the French flagship.

The Royal Navy re-entered the strike carrier business as the first two F-35B Lightning II stealth fighters touched down on the flight deck of HMS Queen Elizabeth on September 25 on the first of more than 500 take-offs and landings scheduled over the next 11 weeks.

The British supercarrier HMS Queen Elizabeth joined the Royal Navy today. On the hangar deck of the 65,000-tonne ship, Captain Jerry Kyd read the commissioning warrant confirming her as an active part of the fleet and the White Ensign and commissioning pennants were raised for the first time.

Britain's second giant aircraft carrier took a major step today from collection of steel to active warship, as she was formally christened at the Rosyth shipyard. During a ceremony, the Duchess of Cornwall released a bottle of 10-year-old whisky to break against the hull of the 65,000 tonne vessel.

The Royal Navy's largest-ever warship came home for the first time, as HMS Queen Elizabeth entered her new homeport of Portsmouth. The 65,000 tonne aircraft carrier was met early this morning by flag-waving crowds as she squeezed through the narrow passage by Portsmouth’s Round Tower.