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HMS Prince of Wales (CVF)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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This article or section contains information about scheduled or expected future events. It may contain tentative information; the content may change as the event approaches and more information becomes available. |
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| Career United Kingdom |  |
|---|---|
| Builder: | BAE Systems Thales Group KBR VT Group Babcock International Group |
| Laid down: | |
| Launched: | |
| Status: | Planned |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement: | 65,000 tons |
| Length: | 900 ft |
| Beam: | 39 metres (waterline) c.70 metres overall |
| Draught: | 9 metres |
| Speed: | |
| Range: | 10,000 nautical miles (18,520 km) |
| Capacity: | 1,400 |
| Complement: | 600 |
| Aircraft carried: | 48 aircraft, such as F-35 Lightning II & the EH101 Merlin helicopter |
HMS Prince of Wales will be the second of the Royal Navy's two Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers and is scheduled to enter service in 2016.[1]
Prince of Wales and her sister ship (Queen Elizabeth) will be the largest warships ever built in the United Kingdom. They are multi-purpose carriers that can adapt to complete multiple roles. It will be capable of carrying 36 aircraft (the F-35B Lightning II) and an estimated 12 helicopters, a major capability upgrade from the current Invincible class carriers.
The aircraft currently selected to be used on these carriers are the Short Take Off Vertical Landing (STOVL) variant of the Lightning II. Originally the carrier will be fitted with a ski-jump ramp but in the future, the flight deck will have the provision to be converted to use a catapult launch and arrestor recovery system should the U.K. choose to operate the conventional F-35C or an Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV) similar to the X-47 Pegasus.
The defence secretary Des Browne confirmed the GB£3.8 billion order for the two carriers on 25 July 2007. The ship will be assembled at Rosyth using blocks built by participating shipyards.
- ^ Parliamentary Debates, House of Commons, 2007-07-25
- HMS Prince of Wales for other ships of this name.
- Royal Navy in the 21st century
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| Queen Elizabeth · Prince of Wales |
| Preceded by: Invincible class aircraft carrier List of aircraft carriers of the Royal Navy |