IN Pictures — Aircraft Carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth

THE Royal Navy’s Fleet Flagship, HMS Queen Elizabeth, sailed up the Firth of Clyde as part of final preparations before her first operational deployment.

This is the first time the ship has visited Western Scotland, after she initially became a familiar sight on the River Forth where she was assembled.

The 65,000-tonne aircraft carrier has spent the last two weeks at sea testing and trialling her latest equipment, before berthing at the new Northern Ammunition Jetty at Glen Mallan, Loch Long, for a routine onload of operational stores.

HMS Queen Elizabeth is the first of the Royal Navy’s fleet to visit the £64million facility, built by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO).

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said: “HMS Queen Elizabeth has a very proud affiliation to Scotland and it is only fitting she returns before her first operational deployment later this year.

“The £64million investment into the new Northern Ammunition Jetty reaffirms our commitment to supporting our core capabilities and defence estate across all corners of the UK.”

Captain Angus Essenhigh, HMS Queen Elizabeth Commanding Officer, said: “We are very proud of the close connection our ship has with Scotland.

“HMS Queen Elizabeth embodies the best of British engineering and craftsmanship, including Scottish shipbuilding, and it is a privilege to return to her birthplace of Scotland.”

DIO project works undertaken include: the installation of four new navigational aids to ensure safe passage through the confined waterway in Loch Long, two new modular fender spacer units that move with the tide to prevent the aircraft carrier flight deck from coming in to contact with the jetty and the installation of dolphin mooring points to ensure the aircraft can be securely berthed.

Craig MacDonald, DIO’s project manager, said: “It is fantastic to have HMS Queen Elizabeth berthed at Glen Mallan for the first time.

“DIO previously worked closely with contractors and local partners to ensure vital infrastructure upgrades were completed in time to prepare for the visit and I would like to thank everyone involved.”

HMS Queen Elizabeth will deploy to the Mediterranean, Indian Ocean and East Asia later this year, as part of the UK’s Carrier Strike Group.