Royal Navy's £3.1bn aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth declared 'flagship-ready' after passing tests with flying colours

In a huge milestone for the Royal Navy, senior officers have said the £3.1bn aircraft carrier is ready to carry out her first operational mission as a naval flagship.

The achievement marks a pivotal stepping stone in a decade-long project by the navy to rebuild its own carrier-based task group.

Previously, the Senior Service had relied on other nations to support it on operations as a large naval force at sea.

However, the latest achievement means HMS Queen Elizabeth is ready to deploy with her own group of Royal Navy warships.

The news was announced via the official Twitter feed of the 65,000-tonne leviathan last night.

‘@AdmTonyRadakin delegated assessors @FOST have declared we are trained and safe to conduct #CarrierStrike operations,’ the tweet said.

The development follows an ‘intensive’ period at sea for the Portsmouth-based warship and her 800-strong crew.

The ship’s company have been subjected to a series of strenuous tests designed to mimic the high-tempo of an operational deployment.

Senior naval officers acting as assessors on board have been marking how sailors react to emergency situations, from fires and floods to a crewman overboard.

But they have also been monitoring how the crew operates in a combat scenario.

Earlier this month, four F-35 stealth jets from the famed 617 ‘Dambuster’ squadron touched down on Queen Elizabeth’s four-acre flight deck for the first time.

Since then, pilots and aircrew have been busy conducting an intense series of flight trials, similar to the conditions they would face on an operational deployment.

Commodore Steve Moorhouse, commander of the UK carrier strike group and Queen Elizabeth’s former captain, was among the Flag Officer Sea Training group – or FOST – assessing the ship’s abilities.

Speaking on Twitter, Cdre Moorhouse said: ‘I was delighted to act as Inspecting Officer for @HMSQNLZ yesterday and declare her ready for the next stage of her strike group programme.

‘After an intensive six weeks, testing the entire ship's company, she is ready to act as the flagship at the heart of my carrier strike group.’

HMS Queen Elizabeth is the first of two huge aircraft carriers, the largest ever built for the Royal Navy.

She is expected to deploy on her first global operation next year, which will take her to the Mediterranean, Gulf and Far East.

A number of warships, including Type 45 destroyers, Type 23 frigates, Astute-class submarines, a minehunter and an RFA supply ship, could all potentially accompany the carrier when she deploys.

HMS Queen Elizabeth is due back to Portsmouth later this month.

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