Shropshire Star

Stealth fighter jets land on board HMS Queen Elizabeth for first time

The landings mark the start of more than 500 take-offs and touch-downs during the next 11-weeks.

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HMS Queen Elizabeth

Stealth fighter jets have landed on the deck of the UK’s new aircraft carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth, for the first time.

The F-35 Lightning fighter jets touched down on the Royal Navy’s £3.1 billion flagship on the US east coast on Tuesday.

Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said the event marked Britain’s naval “rebirth”.

HMS Queen Elizabeth
Observers watch the landing from the bridge (PO(CIS) Matt Bonner/Royal Navy/M)

The landings mark the start of more than 500 take-offs and touch-downs set to take place from the warship during the next 11-weeks, with the jets being put through their paces in a range of weather conditions.

Mr Williamson said: “The largest warship in British history is joining forces with the most advanced fighter jets on the planet. This marks a rebirth of our power to strike decisively from the seas anywhere in the world.

“The historic first landing on the deck of HMS Queen Elizabeth is a monumental moment in our country’s proud military history. It is also a statement of Britain’s determination to promote peace and prevent war.”

F-35 Lightning II fighter jet taking off from HMS Queen Elizabeth (MoD/PA)

Commanding Officer, Capt Jerry Kyd, who was also the captain of HMS Ark Royal when the last Harrier took off from a carrier, said: “I am quite emotional to be here in HMS Queen Elizabeth seeing the return of fixed wing aviation, having been the captain of the aircraft carrier which launched the last Harrier at sea nearly eight years ago.

“The regeneration of big deck carriers able to operate globally, as we are proving here on this deployment, is a major step forward for the United Kingdom’s defence and our ability to match the increasing pace of our adversaries.

“The first touch-downs of these impressive stealth jets shows how the United Kingdom will continue to be world leaders at sea for generations to come.”

HMS Queen Elizabeth
Royal Navy Commander Nathan Gray gives the thumbs-up after making the landing (Lt Cdr Lindsey Waudby/Royal Navy)

Commander UK Carrier Strike Group, Cdre Andrew Betton added: “The Queen Elizabeth Class carriers have been specifically designed and built to operate the F-35 Lightning, offering an immensely flexible and potent combination to deliver military effect around the world.

“Conducting these trials is a critical and exciting step on this journey and I applaud the many thousands of civilian and military personnel who have played a part in bringing the strategic ambition to reality.”

HMS Queen Elizabeth
HMS Queen Elizabeth (LPhot Kyle Heller/Royal Navy/MoD/Crown copyright)

This week’s flight trials come more than 100 years after the UK’s HMS Argus became the world’s first carrier capable of safely launching and recovering naval aircraft.

HMS Queen Elizabeth remains set to be deployed on global operations from 2021.

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