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Huge block prepared for transport for the Rosyth shipyard
The forward island of the second Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier has been loaded out of its dock hall in Glasgow ahead of its first sea voyage to the Rosyth shipyard.
Upper Block 07 will be commanded atop the flight deck. As the main hub of the ship it contains the bridge and approximately 100 mission systems compartments.
The forward island has been under wraps at BAE Systems yard in Govan on the Clyde since construction began in 2013.
Mick Ord, managing director at BAE Systems Naval Ships, said: “This is a fantastic milestone as its forward island is delivered ahead of schedule and to an exceptional standard of engineering. It’s a proud day for everyone on the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier programme and an important reminder of their tremendous dedication and skill in naval engineering.”
A single remote control and 144 wheels were used to drive the 680 tonne section from inside the ship build hall to the dock side at half a mile per hour.
The transportation team will spend next week ensuring the forward island is secured for its sea voyage. It will then sail down the Clyde and around the north coast of Scotland on a five day voyage to Rosyth where final assembly is taking place.
The Queen Elizabeth-class are the first aircraft carriers to use an innovative twin island design. The second ‘aft island’ operates as an airport control tower to co-ordinate aircraft movements, but both islands are designed with the ability to incorporate the other’s role in an emergency, thus increasing the survivability of the ship.
The forward island has deck-to-deck windows, which are up to 2m tall to ensure a level of visibility far beyond previous aircraft carriers and are designed to withstand a significant impact, such as a helicopter’s spinning rotor blade.
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