HMS Queen Elizabeth sails for Lightning jet trials in UK waters

HMS Queen Elizabeth has sailed from her home port of Portsmouth today to conduct flight trials with UK F-35 Lightning jets in home waters.

UK Lightning Force jets conducted their first maritime flights during operational tests with the aircraft carrier just a few months ago.

The 65,000-tonne warship has previously only carried out trials with the jets while training in the Atlantic during 2018 and 2019.

HMS Queen Elizabeth’s Commanding Officer, Captain Angus Essenhigh, said: “It is a real honour for me to be taking HMS Queen Elizabeth to sea for the first time as her new Commanding Officer.

"This period at sea will build on the successes of the Westlant 19 deployment, providing a fantastic opportunity for the ship to further its generation towards carrier strike, and will train and qualify UK F-35 pilots in UK waters for the very first time.”