Originally Posted by
MSOCS
Can anyone shed light on what this first QEC Aircraft Carrier will do for the 3 years until the first sea trials, or indeed the 4 years until flight trials will take place?
Fitting out. According to local scuttlebut she is being launched 'light' as otherwise there might not be sufficient displacement available in the dock. Of course, that could be cause and effect.
I'm personally of the opinion that we haven't needed a carrier since 1982. We've also coped extremely well since we stopped putting fast air on CVS in 2010. ELLAMY didn't need it and neither would any immediate problem such as Syria, Iran or whatever. Again, my opinion.
Sierra Leone and Bosnia are two examples that spring to mind (SHAR ops were conducted in the latter when the aircraft in Italy were grounded due to bad weather)