HMS Queen Elizabeth to leave Portsmouth tomorrow to resume key work after a “brief logistics stop”
The aircraft carrier returned home for a brief stop earlier this month
Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth is set to leave Portsmouth again after a “brief logistics stop” to resume her key role as a NATO command ship.
The carrier returned to her home port on November 5 after eight weeks away from the city during which time she travelled around the UK and northern Europe including visits to Belfast and Gibraltar, and undergoing a series of complex exercises.
But she will now head out to sea again tomorrow morning (November 16) to continue her work.
The Royal Navy said the 65,000 tonne warship’s deployment was part of her journey back to the front line after her first re-certification in Rosyth. It said this deployment lays the groundwork for more complex workouts in 2027.
The carrier’s ship’s company confirmed on social media that the warship has returned to Portsmouth for “a brief logistics stop”, with tomorrow’s Kings Harbour Master listings showing she will leave her jetty in Portsmouth Harbour at around 8.30am.
She is expected to reach the Outer Spit Buoy in the Solent an hour later.
During her brief stop in Portsmouth the carrier held Armistice Day commemorations on November 11, as well as taking part in celebrations at Portsmouth Naval Base to mark King Charles III’s birthday.
As previously reported by The News, the carrier’s training programme will continue into next year and will include major NATO exercises.
She is also preparing to take over as the Royal Navy’s flagship from HMS Prince of Wales.