NAVY NEWS, DECEMBER 2009 13
Carrier
starts
to take
shape
THE ships are probably
Aircraft Carrier Alliance – the
Pictures: BAE Systems
beginning to look familiar
main players being BAE Systems,
– you will have seen
BVT, Thales, Babcock and the
● A graphic of the Royal Navy’s future carrier class – though in reality it would be a rare event for the two ships to operate together
MOD (as both customer and
them, in various guises, participant in the process) – and
Rosyth, originally built in World The first is the actual members of the Alliance allow partners and the customer extends
in computer-generated
their sub-contractors, the bulbous War 1. engineering – the development of potential problems, possible design across the Atlantic, where levels
graphics over the past
bow is nearing completion at The £35m project, due for hardware and associated software improvements and a host of other of industrial co-operation have
few years.
Appledore in the West Country, completion next summer, will to achieve the desired results, build issues to be aired as soon pleasantly surprised some of the
work on Lower Blocks 1 include a 120m-span crane
The ones pictured on this
and how each system fits as they come to light – a more experienced workforce on
and 2 has begun on the which is due for delivery
into the steel hull and means of ‘de-risking’ the the Alliance teams.
page are about as close as
Tyne and Lower Block 3 is early next year, and by then
interacts with other such process in the hope that And it is not just the war bit of
we will get to the real thing,
under way at Govan on the the dock will hopefully
systems, whether mission no nasty shocks appear these warships which require an
because the main structural Clyde, with the same have a name with more
control, communications when it is more costly or in-depth, integrated approach.
elements have been finalised. yard starting on Block resonance than No 1
or myriad other crucial difficult to rectify them A carrier is certainly a floating
Only the details are liable to
4 next month. Dock.
computer-driven – “plenty of wonders airfield, allowing the UK to
change.
Construction So the hulls are
functions. but no surprises”, as carry out autonomous operations
But the two Queen Elizabeth-
on the rudders and in hand, but it will
But the second is one manager put it. wherever the politicians and
class aircraft carriers are more
stabilisers is well be years before the
just as important – As Navy News went military decide.
than just digital images. They have
under way, as is work
diverse units are
training sailors to use to press the focus was But it is also a floating office
started to take physical form.
on the sponsons.
welded together into a
these systems. on de-risking joint air block for around 1,500 people
In shipyards and workshops
The massive aircraft
recognisable ship.
The beauty of the operations using a mix who need to be connected to a
around the country, parts
lifts and diesel generators
A similar, parallel path
approach employed by the of sophisticated computer- reliable integrated IT system.
of the new carriers are under
are all completed.
is being trodden by those
driven simulations, and a It is also a floating town,
construction, and even at this
There has also been a good
responsible for the ship’s systems,
Aircraft Carrier Alliance is that
sin-bin... more about that in our with the need for power, water
stage, geographically scattered as
deal of work on infrastructure
with integration being the mantra
these two aspects are symbiotic – as
January edition. supplies, sewerage, health services,
they are, recognisable sections are
to cope with the new ships, with
on everyone’s lips.
systems are developed and refined,
Similar work is being carried out recreation facilities and so on.
approaching completion.
one of the main projects being
There are two aspects to the
people are more adept at using
elsewhere – the communications Components for the first ship,
Under the auspices of the
the preparation of No 1 Dock at
systems side of things.
them, and as the people become
more familiar with them they can and radar suites are the then, are taking shape right now.
feed observations or criticisms responsibility of BAE’s Coronet But because of the requirements
back into the system, identifying facility at Cowes on the Isle of for niche expertise and sheer weight
problem areas or ironing out Wight, and where possible each of engineering and manufacturing
wrinkles as they occur. separate system will be hooked up capacity, HMS Prince of Wales
That philosophy exists at all to the others to ensure they can will be built subsequently – it
levels of the carrier project in what ‘talk’ to each other and operate
was simply not practical or cost-
some might consider the acme of together with no interference.
effective to ‘surge’ production on
‘smart acquisition’. The ethos of openness and
two ships through the yards and
Regular meetings between honesty between commercial
factories.
● How the fl ight deck is expected to look on the Queen Elizabeth-class ships
Buses, pools and Hyde Park
AMAZING engineering Each carrier’s long range radar
achievements can usually be is the same size as a large mobile
measured in terms of family home.
cars, blue whales and Nelson’s The new carriers will be driven
Column.
Strike Fighter is expected to carry
by twin propellers, each weighing
No blue whales here, but a
at least twice the payload of a
33 tonnes – more than twice the
fistful of facts which will give
Harrier.
you some idea of the kind of ship
The ships will measure 56m
weight of a double-decker bus and
coming the RN’s way, hopefully in
from keel to masthead – slightly
half as tall again.
taller than Nelson’s Column.
The ships’ anchors will be
the middle of the next decade.
Each carrier has a 110MW
more than 3m high, and each
At 65,000 tonnes, the Queen
power station on board – enough
weighing 13 tonnes (almost the
Elizabeth-class ships will each
juice for Portsea Island.
same as that bus).
provide four acres of mobile UK
One of the RN’s last big
There will be a pair of powerful
sovereign territory.
carriers, HMS Ark Royal,
lifts on each new carrier, and
At 280m in length, they are
had sailors living in 100-
each lift will be able to carry
almost half as long again as
man messes. In HMS Queen
two Joint Strike Fighters between
the current Invincible-class
Elizabeth they will share six-
flight deck and hangar deck in 60
carriers.
berth cabins with adjacent
seconds. Between them they are
They will be around 70m wide
toilet facilities and showers.
powerful enough to shift the entire
– twice the width of the current
2,500km of cabling will be
ship’s company in one go.
carriers.
installed in each ship.
The water treatment plant on
The total complement of
Annual fuel consumption is
each new carrier will be able to
each ship, with embarked air
expected to be close to that
produce more than 500 tonnes
group, will be 1,600, of which
of the Invincible-class ships,
of fresh water every day.
just under 700 will be ship’s
despite being three times the
Some 80,000 tonnes of steel
company. That means the new weight – equivalent to 40,000 is on order for the completion of
carriers will have only 50 per family cars. the two new ships – that is three
cent more manpower than the There are 370 acres of times the amount used in the
Invincible-class, despite being paintwork (1.5 million m²) on construction of the new Wembley
three times the size. board – slightly greater than the Stadium.
The new carriers will handle 40 area of Hyde Park in London. Each ship’s hangar is
aircraft, twice the capacity of the The ships will be capable of equivalent to 12 Olympic-sized
Invincible class, and each Joint reaching 25 knots. swimming pools.
013_NN_dec.indd 1 18/11/09 17:58:13
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