UK’s Aircraft Carrier Alliance has installed the first of just over 3,000 compartments on Britain’s new aircraft carrier. It was handed over for the crew of HMS Queen Elizabeth, ready to be loaded with equipment.
With the 65,000-tonne ship due to sail later this year, and the ship’s company due to move on board even sooner, one by one compartments will be transferred to the sailors to turn into living, breathing working warship.
The first, 9J, is a logistics compartment, but will serve as a temporary training facility in the short term for Damage Control Officer, Lt Cdr John Ball.
Over the coming weeks, this compartment will be populated with equipment and training will commence.
When it comes to warship layouts and compartment locations, 9J is deep in the bowels of the 65,000-tonne flat-top (eight decks down from the flight deck) and roughly midships (compartments are labeled A to Z bow to stern).
The handover comes just a couple of days after the first of the (eventual) 679-strong ship’s company joined Royal Navy’s second carrier HMS Prince of Wales across Rosyth dockyard.
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