The British government announced on the 4th that the Royal Navy’s HMS Queen Elizabeth carrier battle group has reached Initial Operational Capability (IOC) and is expected to sail to the Pacific Ocean from this spring. British officials have previously said that the Queen Elizabeth’s overseas deployment route is likely to include the South China Sea.
The Ministry of Defense said at a press conference that the carrier battle group’s naval aviation, ground crews, radar systems, anti-ship weapons, frigates and destroyers and other combat units have completed their initial integration and are ready to work together.
British Defense Secretary Jeremy Quin said, “This is an extremely important milestone for HMS Queen Elizabeth, the Royal Navy and the country as a whole. This achievement is a testament to the commitment of our industry and others who have given the nation a first-class military capability that only a few nations possess. I hope the carrier strike group will make further progress before its first deployment this year.”
HMS Queen Elizabeth R08, the largest carrier ever built for the Royal Navy, has a range of about 10,000 nautical miles (19,000 km), a twin-island design with 3,000 compartments and 12 decks, a permanent crew of about 1,600, and the capacity to carry 40 to 50 fighter aircraft or helicopters on board at the same time, currently The ship is equipped with only about 12 F-35B Lightning II fighters. The Royal Navy expects the carrier battle group to reach full operational capability by the end of 2023.
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