The ghost squadron: As £3.1billion Big Lizzie aircraft carrier goes to sea without any planes ...

MAILONLINE ^ | 28 June 2017 | PADDY DINHAM

[sukhoi-30mki]

The £3.1billion HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier proudly hit the waters earlier this week - but currently its crew only has replica planes to practise with.

Life-size models of the F-35 Lightning II jets have dubbed the 'faux fighters' and will be pushed around the tarmac at Cornwall's RNAS Culdrose, so flight deck teams can get a feel for the world's most advanced warplanes.

The real jets will be deployed on the 65,000-tonne Queen Elizabeth - dubbed 'Big Lizzie' - was put into the sea for the first time in Scotland.

Life-size copies of the F-35 Lightning II jets will be pushed around the tarmac at Cornwall's RNAS Culdrose by HMS Queen Elizabeth crews

The arrival of the four jets was announced by the Flight Deck School, which will provide training to enable air handlers to manage fast jets and helicopters.

Chief petty officer Paul Ranson, Training Manager for all Embarked Training explained: 'We need to provide as realistic training as possible before the trainees go to sea.

'Aircraft handlers are vital to the new carrier, without them the Royal Navy cannot conduct safe aviation at sea.

'Flight decks are very dangerous, at sea even more so. It's our job to protect the aircraft and aircrew flying them.

'Managing the flight deck is mentally and physically challenging, so the training has to be quite rigorous and as realistic as possible'.

Despite having no engines, sensors or weapons the four replica F-35s, dubbed the 'faux fighters' by the team at Culdrose, will be used as training aids so naval personnel can get used to moving bigger and heavier aircraft.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4646526/Navy-uses-replica-train-Big-Lizzie-flight-deck-teams.html#ixzz4lIfMZYlH Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

[sukhoi-30mki]

[Delta 21]

There is no doubt we had to split from this country.

[dblshot]

Gas turbines suck up a lot of fuel thus will need to be accompanied by tankers.

[Pecos]

This was the ship’s initial sea trials, people! No one takes aircraft to sea the first time the ship gets underway. The first order of business is always to sort out the ship, herself. Standard procedure in the USN as well.

[Delta 21]

Lots of folks plum fergot about the petrochemical shortage. Maybe they burn that $20/gal organic. HA

I am sure it will be a formidable warship when its air wings are aboard. Even the US carriers dont take on birds till after deployment, but the thought of the Brits pushing around fake planes brought visions of Charlie Sheen in a bad comedy. Then throw in all the fancy purposeful misspellings.........

[spokeshave]

Ha...Brits...the professional amateurs...with a long history

[Lower Deck]

Gas turbines suck up a lot of fuel thus will need to be accompanied by tankers.

So do aircraft, which is why U.S. carriers are accompanied by tankers as well.

[Psalm 73]

I think they would have been much better served to build several in the 30 - 40K ton range.
Easier to disperse, protect, man, and maintain.

[PIF]

All You Need To Know About The Royal Navy's New Carrier And Its Maiden Voyage
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[minnesota_bound]

In the meantime they can use these aircraft.

[rmlew]

Has anyone else noticed that these ships lack any missile for defense?

[Lurker]

Sad.

L