Proposed CVF design
United Kingdom
Builders:	BAE Systems Thales Group KBR VT Group and Babcock International Group
Operators:	Royal Navy
Preceding class:	Invincible class
Following class:	N/A
Commissioned:	(unconfirmed) 2012–2015[1]
Ships in Class
Ships in class:	2
Ships planned but not completed:	(unconfirmed) Queen Elizabeth Prince of Wales[1]
General Characteristics
Displacement:	65,000 tonnes[2]
Length:	280 metres (900 ft)[2]
Beam:	39 metres (waterline)[1] c.70 metres overall[2]
Draught:	9 metres[2]
Speed:
Range:	10,000 nautical miles (18,520 km)
Capacity:	1,400
Complement:	600
Aircraft complement:	48 aircraft, including *F-35 Lightning II

CVF, literally Aircraft Carrier Future,^[3][4] but commonly called the Future Carrier is a new generation of aircraft carrier being developed for the United Kingdom's Royal Navy. The two vessels are expected to enter service in the mid 2010s. The vessels will displace approximately 65,000 tonnes each. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (865x609, 95 KB) This is a copyrighted image that has been released by a company or organization to promote their work or product in the media, such as advertising material or a promotional photo in a press kit. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... BAE Systems plc is the worlds fourth largest defence contractor,[3] the largest in Europe and a commercial aerospace manufacturer. ... The Thales Group (Euronext: HO) is a global electronics company serving aerospace, defence, and information technology markets worldwide. ... KBR can stand for: Kellogg, Brown and Root Key based routing Royal Library of Belgium KBR Radio kbr can stand for: The ISO 639 linguistic identifier code for the Ethiopian language Kaffa (or Kafa). ... VT Group plc is the company formerly known as Vosper Thornycroft. ... Babcock International Group plc is a British based multinational engineering and services company. ... Image File history File links Naval_Ensign_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore the Senior Service). ... The sixth (and current) HMS Invincible. ... 2012 (MMXII) will be a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2015 (MMXV) will be a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Thales Future Carrier (CVF) Design HMS Queen Elizabeth is the name believed to have been assigned to the first of the Royal Navys two new CVF aircraft carriers, believed to be entering serivce in 2012. ... Thales Future Carrier (CVF) Design HMS Prince of Wales is the name believed to have been assigned to the second of the Royal Navys two CVF aircraft carriers, believed to be entering serivce in 2015. ... The F-35 Lightning II—descended from the X-35 of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program—is a single-seat, single-engined military strike fighter, a multi-role aircraft that can perform close air support, tactical bombing, and air-to-air combat. ... Four aircraft carriers, (front-to-back) Principe de Asturias, amphibious assault carrier USS Wasp, supercarrier USS Forrestal and light V/STOL carrier HMS Invincible, showing size differences. ... The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore the Senior Service). ...

The need to replace the ageing Invincible class aircraft carriers was confirmed by the 1998 Strategic Defence Review.^[1] From six contractors the Ministry of Defence (MoD) selected Thales and BAE Systems in late 1999 to compete for the final contract. In September 2002 the MoD announced that the Royal Navy and RAF will operate the STOVL F-35B Lightning II variant and further that the carriers would take the form of large, conventional carriers, which will be initally be adapted for STOVL operations. On January 30, 2003 the MoD announced that the Thales design had won the competition but that BAE Systems would operate as prime contractor. The two companies are now part of a "carrier alliance" with the MoD and other companies.^[1] The sixth (and current) HMS Invincible. ... The Strategic Defence Review (or SDR) was a policy document produced by the Labour Government that came to power in 1997. ... The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and the headquarters of the British Armed Forces. ... The Thales Group (Euronext: HO) is a global electronics company serving aerospace, defence, and information technology markets worldwide. ... BAE Systems plc is the worlds fourth largest defence contractor,[3] the largest in Europe and a commercial aerospace manufacturer. ... The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the air force branch of the British Armed Forces. ... STOVL is an acronym for Short Take Off and Vertical Landing. ... The F-35 Lightning II—descended from the X-35 of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program—is a single-seat, single-engined military strike fighter, a multi-role aircraft that can perform close air support, tactical bombing, and air-to-air combat. ... January 30 is the 30th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

As of early 2007, approval for construction has yet to be given. The Times has reported that the Treasury has agreed to fund the carriers but the Ministry of Defence is withholding the contract until BAE Systems and VT Group agree the merger of their shipbuilding assets.^[5] The project is estimated to cost £3.6 - £3.9 billion.^[5]

Background

The vessels will displace approximately 65,000 tonnes each, almost three times the displacement of the current Invincible class, and each will field an air wing of around 48 F-35 Lightning II strike fighters.^[1] In context, one carrier's air wing is almost three times the size of the Tornado GR.1 force deployed in Operation Desert Fox and the same number as the Tornado GR.4/Harrier GR.7 offensive fleet which participated in Operation Telic. Both of these land based deployments required the agreement of a local friendly nation. The F-35 Lightning II—descended from the X-35 of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program—is a single-seat, single-engined military strike fighter, a multi-role aircraft that can perform close air support, tactical bombing, and air-to-air combat. ... The Panavia Tornado is a family of twin-engine fighters, which was jointly developed by the United Kingdom, Germany and Italy. ... Combatants United States, UK Iraq Commanders General Tony Zinni Saddam Hussien Strength 30,500 unknown Casualties none 600-2,000 dead Operation Desert Fox was the military codename for a major four-day bombing campaign on Iraqi targets from December 16-December 19, 1998 by the United States and United... The Panavia Tornado is a family of twin-engine fighters, which was jointly developed by the United Kingdom, Germany and Italy. ... The BAE Systems/Boeing Harrier II (GR5/GR7/GR9 series) is a second generation vertical/short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) jet aircraft used by the Royal Air Force (RAF). ... Operation Telic is the codename under which all British operations of the 2003 Invasion of Iraq and after are being conducted. ...

While it has been suggested that reducing the carrier force by one vessel will lead to a reduction in the ability of the Royal Navy to project carrier air power, it is planned that advanced design and maintenance techniques will eliminate the present requirement for major refits. At present one carrier is in active duty (R2—2 days readiness), one in reserve or refit (R6—60 days' notice) and a third in training or maintenance. The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore the Senior Service). ...

The vessels will be the largest and most powerful surface warships ever built in the UK and the most capable aircraft carriers outside of the U.S. Navy. Giving evidence to the House of Commons Defence Committee, the First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Alan West explained that interoperability with the United States Navy was as much a deciding factor of the size of the carriers as the firepower of the carrier's airwing: The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... The First Sea Lord is the professional head of the British Royal Navy. ... The Queen and Admiral Sir Alan West, then First Sea Lord embarked onboard HMS Endurance during the review of the international fleet Admiral Sir Alan West, GCB, DSC, DUniv (born 1948) was the First Sea Lord, the professional head of the Royal Navy, from 2002 to 2006. ...

Requirement

The CVF carriers will be closer in size to a Nimitz class carrier (left) than the Invincible class ships it replaces (right)

The United Kingdom's aircraft carriers until 2005 were the 22,000 tonne Invincible-class vessels; Invincible, Illustrious and Ark Royal. The vessels entered service in 1980, 1981 and 1985 respectively. Invincible was decommissioned on 3 August 2005, leaving HMS Illustrious in active service; HMS Ark Royal has recently emerged from refit and as of February 2007 is undergoing Operational Sea Training. The Invincible-class was designed for Cold War anti-submarine warfare in the North Atlantic as part of a combined NATO fleet and has limited space for offensive aircraft (nine Harrier GR7s or Sea Harriers). Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2021x1217, 359 KB) Description: The U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74) (left), steams alongside the British Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious (R 06) in the Persian Gulf on April 9, 1998. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2021x1217, 359 KB) Description: The U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74) (left), steams alongside the British Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious (R 06) in the Persian Gulf on April 9, 1998. ... The Nimitz-class supercarriers are a line of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers in service with the US Navy, and are the largest capital ships in the world. ... The sixth and current HMS Invincible (R05) is a light aircraft carrier, the lead ship of three in her class. ... There have been five ships in the Royal Navy to bear the proud name Illustrious, and as her name suggests, she and her predecessors have had an illustrious history. ... HMS Ark Royal (R07), the last Invincible-class light aircraft carrier to be completed, is the fifth ship of the Royal Navy named in honour of the flagship of the English fleet that defeated the Spanish Armada. ... To decommission a ship is to terminate her career in service in the armed forces of her nation. ... August 3 is the 215th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (216th in leap years), with 150 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Cold War (disambiguation). ... Anti-submarine warfare (ASW or in older forms A/S) is a branch of naval warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft or other submarines to find, track and then damage or destroy enemy submarines. ... For other uses, see Atlantic (disambiguation) The Atlantic Ocean is Earths second-largest ocean, covering approximately one-fifth of its surface. ... NATO 2002 Summit in Prague. ... The BAE Systems/Boeing Harrier II (GR5/GR7/GR9 series) is a second generation vertical/short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) jet aircraft used by the Royal Air Force (RAF). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

In 1982 Invincible joined the task force dispatched to recover the Falkland Islands (together with the older and larger HMS Hermes). This conflict demonstrated the need to maintain aircraft carriers to support the United Kingdom's foreign policy. Since the end of the Cold War the ships of the Invincible class have operated in a more traditional aircraft carrier mission, that of power projection. As a result the Royal Air Force's Harrier GR7 have been routinely deployed on them and the ships have been modified to carry more aircraft and ammunition (notably with the removal of the Sea Dart defensive weapon system). A task force (TF) is a temporary unit or formation established to work on a single defined task or activity. ... The second HMS Hermes (R12) was a Centaur-class aircraft carrier, the last of the postwar conventional aircraft carriers commissioned into the Royal Navy. ... British Prime Minister Tony Blair (left) conducting diplomacy, hosted by the President of the United States, George W. Bush at Camp David in March 2003. ... For other uses, see Cold War (disambiguation). ... USS , and HMS Illustrious, two aircraft carriers on a joint patrol. ... The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the air force branch of the British Armed Forces. ... Type surface-to-air, surface-to-surface Nationality UK Era Cold War Launch platform ship Target aircraft or ship History Builder British Aerospace Date of design Production period Service duration 1973 Operators UK (Royal Navy), Argentina Variants ? Number built 2,000+ Specifications Type Diameter 0. ...

However the capability of the Invincible class has been limited by the size of the vessels. The lack of dedicated Airborne Early Warning (AEW) aircraft such as the E-2C Hawkeye were a significant liability during the Falklands War, potentially resulting in several losses to over-the-horizon anti-ship missiles and other attacks. As the Invincible class could not deploy such aircraft, the Royal Navy deployed band-aid solutions such as the Sea King AEW.2, which suffered from the range and sensor payload capabilities of helicopters versus fixed-wing aircraft. Despite this, formal studies did not begin until 1994 regarding the replacement of the ships, when it became more clear that larger carriers with larger air groups are necessary. United States Air Force E-3 Sentry An Airborne Early Warning (AEW) system is a radar system carried by an aircraft which is designed to detect other aircraft. ... The Grumman E-2 Hawkeye is the United States Navys all-weather, aircraft carrier-based tactical Airborne Early Warning (AEW) aircraft. ... Combatants United Kingdom Argentina Commanders Sir John Fieldhouse Sir John Woodward Margaret Thatcher Leopoldo Galtieri Mario Menéndez Ernesto Crespo Casualties 258 killed[1] 777 wounded 59 taken prisoner 649 killed 1,068 wounded 11,313 taken prisoner The Falklands War (Spanish: ) was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the... RBS-15 missile launched from a Sisu missile carriage. ... The Westland Sea King is a license-built version of the Sikorsky helicopter of the same name, built by Westland Helicopters. ... 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by United Nations. ... Carrier Air Wing is an arcade game that was released in 1990 by Capcom. ...

Strategic Defence Review

In May 1997 the election of the new Labour government saw the launch of the Strategic Defence Review (SDR). This review re-evaluated every weapon system (active or in procurement) with the exception of the Eurofighter Typhoon and the Vanguard class ballistic missile submarines.The report in December 1998 concluded that aircraft carriers offered the following: 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Labour Party has been, since its founding in the early 20th century, the principal political party of the left in the United Kingdom. ... The Eurofighter Typhoon is a twin-engine multi-role canard-delta strike fighter aircraft, designed and built by a consortium of European aerospace manufacturers through Eurofighter GmbH which was formed in 1986. ... The Vanguard class are the Royal Navys current nuclear ballistic missile submarines (SSBN), each armed with up to 16 Trident II SLBMs. ... The Redoutable, a French SNLE (now a museum) A ballistic missile submarine is a submarine equipped to launch ballistic missiles (SLBMs), such as the Russian SS-N-18 or the American Trident. ...

• Ability to operate offensive aircraft abroad when foreign basing may be denied.
• All required space and infrastructure; where foreign bases are available they are not always available early in a conflict and infrastructure is often lacking.
• A coercive and deterrent effect when deployed to a trouble spot.

The report concluded "The emphasis is now on increased offensive air power, and an ability to operate the largest possible range of aircraft in the widest possible range of roles. When the current carrier force reaches the end of its planned life, we plan to replace it with two larger vessels. Work will now begin to refine our requirements but present thinking suggests that they might be of the order of 30,000–40,000 tonnes and capable of deploying up to 50 aircraft, including helicopters."

Design studies

Lockheed Martin F-35 demonstrator

In January 1999 six companies were invited to tender for the assessment phase of the project; Boeing, British Aerospace, Lockheed Martin, Marconi Electronic Systems, Raytheon and Thomson-CSF. With the type of aircraft yet to be selected the possible configurations of the vessels was varied: Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2331x1800, 376 KB) Description : A Lockheed F-35 in flying Photographer : US Air Force http://www. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2331x1800, 376 KB) Description : A Lockheed F-35 in flying Photographer : US Air Force http://www. ... The Boeing Company (NYSE: BA, TYO: 7661 ) is an aerospace and defense corporation headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. ... British Aerospace (BAe) was a UK aircraft manufacturer, now part of BAE Systems. ... Lockheed/BAE/Northrop F-35 Lockheed Trident missile C-130 Hercules; in production since the 1950s, now as the C-130J Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) is an aerospace manufacturer formed in 1995 by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta. ... Marconi Electronic Systems (MES), or GEC-Marconi as it was until 1998, was the defence arm of The General Electric Company (GEC). ... Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) is a major United States military contractor based in Waltham, Massachusetts. ... Thomson-CSF was a major electronics and defense contractor. ...

• STOVL - F-35B Lightning II

Short Take-Off/Vertical Landing (STOVL), the current choice for UK carrier air power. A STOVL CVF would remove the need for costly steam catapults and arrestor gear (CATOBAR), and would also take advantage of the UK lead in STOVL technology. This is at the expense of aircraft range and payload capability (for an equal size CATOBAR carrier). Importantly however the difference in capability between an F-35B and F-35C is slight compared to the gulf in capability between the Harrier and, for example, the F/A-18.

• STOBAR - Eurofighter Typhoon (Navalised)

Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) again removes the requirement for the expense of catapults but uses arrestor gear. In this way conventional aircraft (with modification) can be used. Any STOBAR design would most likely have used a navalised version of the Eurofighter Typhoon; i.e. strengthened landing gear, improved flight control system and inclusion of an arrestor hook. The advantages of this would be increased range, manoeuvrability and payload compared to a STOVL design and higher operating efficiency than a CATOBAR design. Disadvantages include lower stealth characteristics than the F-35, as well as the very high cost of navalising the Typhoon (with little or no export potential).

• CATOBAR - F-35C Lightning II - F/A-18E/F Super Hornet - Rafale M

A Catapult Assisted Take-Off But Arrested Recovery CVF would have used catapults and arrestor cables and an angled flight deck with existing naval aircraft, most likely the F/A-18 or Rafale-M. This has the advantage of reducing technical risk for development of both the aircraft and carriers and offering maximum payload and range capabilities. Disadvantages outweigh these however, including higher operating costs and the minimal British involvement in development of the aircraft due to the "off-the-shelf" purchase.

• "Hybrid"

A late BAE submission was a hybrid carrier, featuring a STOVL ski-jump with angled flight deck, catapults and arrestor cables. Advantages of this design include the ability to operate STOVL offensive aircraft and CATOBAR AEW aircraft.

In November 1999 the MoD awarded detailed assessment studies to two consortia, one led by BAe (renamed BAE Systems on 30 November) and one led by Thomson-CSF (renamed Thales Group in 2000). The brief required up to six designs from each consortium with airgroups of 30 to 40 Future Joint Combat Aircraft (FJCA). STOVL is an acronym for Short Take Off and Vertical Landing. ... The F-35 Lightning II—descended from the X-35 of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program—is a single-seat, single-engined military strike fighter, a multi-role aircraft that can perform close air support, tactical bombing, and air-to-air combat. ... CATOBAR (Catapult Assisted Take Off But Arrested Recovery) is a system used for the launch and recovery of aircraft from the deck of an aircraft carrier. ... The F/A-18 Hornet is an all-weather fighter and attack aircraft. ... STOBAR (Short Take Off But Arrested Recovery) is a system used for the launch and recovery of aircraft from the deck of an aircraft carrier, combining elements of both STOVL and CATOBAR. Aircraft launch under their own power using a ski-jump to assist take-off (rather than using a... The Eurofighter Typhoon is a twin-engine multi-role canard-delta strike fighter aircraft, designed and built by a consortium of European aerospace manufacturers through Eurofighter GmbH which was formed in 1986. ... A flight control system consists of the flight control surfaces, the respective cockpit controls, connecting linkage, and necessary operating mechanisms to control aircraft in flight The fundamentals of aircraft controls has been explained in aeronautics. ... CATOBAR (Catapult Assisted Take Off But Arrested Recovery) is a system used for the launch and recovery of aircraft from the deck of an aircraft carrier. ... The F-35 Lightning II—descended from the X-35 of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program—is a single-seat, single-engined military strike fighter, a multi-role aircraft that can perform close air support, tactical bombing, and air-to-air combat. ... The Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is a carrier-based fighter/attack aircraft that entered service in 1999 with the United States Navy. ... The logo of the Dassault Rafale program. ... The flight deck of an aircraft carrier is the surface from which its aircraft take off and land, essentially a miniature airfield at sea. ... BAE Systems plc is the worlds fourth largest defence contractor,[3] the largest in Europe and a commercial aerospace manufacturer. ... November 30 is the 334th day (335th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 31 days remaining. ... The Thales Group (Euronext: HO) is a global electronics company serving aerospace, defence, and information technology markets worldwide. ...

Aircraft and carrier format selection

On January 17, 2001 the UK signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) for full participation in the Joint Strike Fighter Programme, confirming the JSF as the FJCA. This gave the UK significant input into aircraft design and the choice between the Lockheed X-35 and Boeing X-32. On 26 October 2001 the DoD announced that Lockheed Martin had won the JSF contract. January 17 is the 17th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The United States Department of Defense (DOD or DoD) is the federal department charged with coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the government relating directly to national security and the military. ... Boeing X-32 (left) and Lockheed Martin X-35 prior to down-select in 2001, where the X-35 was chosen. ... The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) is a military fighter aircraft designed by the United States and the United Kingdom. ... October 26 is the 299th day of the year (300th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 66 days remaining. ... 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) is a military fighter aircraft designed by the United States and the United Kingdom. ...

On 30 September 2002 the MoD announced that the Royal Navy and RAF will operate the STOVL F-35B variant. At the same time it was announced that the carriers would take the form of large, conventional carriers, which will be adapted for STOVL operations. The carriers, expected to remain in service for 50 years, will be convertible to CATOBAR operations for the generation of aircraft after the F-35. September 30 is the 273rd day of the year (274th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ...

Carrier Alliance

On 30 January 2003 the Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon announced that the Thales Group design had won the competition but that BAE Systems would operate as prime contractor.^[6] These two companies, with the MoD, formed the "Carrier Alliance". January 30 is the 30th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

During a speech on 21 July 2004 Geoff Hoon announced a one year delay to allow contractural and cost issues to be resolved. In February 2005 the MoD announced that Kellog Brown & Root UK Ltd had been selected as "Physical Integrator" for the project, overseeing the finalisation of the design and the construction process. This was due to concerns that neither BAE nor Thales had the capacity to oversee the construction on their own. July 21 is the 202nd day (203rd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 163 days remaining. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Kellogg, Brown and Root is an American engineering and construction company, a private military contractor and a subsidiary of Halliburton. ...

The building of the carriers was confirmed in December 2005. A statement said "the Alliance team of MoD, BAE Systems, Thales and KBR, is to be joined by VT Group and Babcock. The building is to be across four shipyards with final assembly at Rosyth. The Defence Select Committee warned that the project may be falling behind schedule and may even be in jeopardy. Other contractors include Swan Hunter shipbuilders of the Tyne, who are partners with BAE Systems.^[7] VT Group plc is the company formerly known as Vosper Thornycroft. ... Babcock International Group plc is a British based multinational engineering and services company. ... Rosyth (pronounced Ross-sythe) (Scottish Gaelic: Ros Saoithe) is located on the Firth of Forth on Scotlands east coast, a mile (1. ... A Select Committee is a committee made up of a small number of parliamentary members appointed to deal with particular areas or issues originating in the Westminster System of parliamentary democracy. ... Swan Hunter, formerly known as Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson, is one of the best known shipbuilding companies in the United Kingdom. ... The River Tyne can refer to two rivers in the United Kingdom: River Tyne, England River Tyne, Scotland This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... BAE Systems plc is the worlds fourth largest defence contractor,[3] the largest in Europe and a commercial aerospace manufacturer. ...

MOPA2

MOPA2 is the DCN/Thales company charged with the design of the second French aircraft-carrier (CVF-Fr) from the CVF design. This company is also to be used to advise the carrier alliance on how best to facilitate the adapation of the common design to the needs of the French Navy. The Carrier Alliance recently modified the size of the flight deck to allow a better adapation for the CATOBAR design, a solution adopted for France and that the United Kingdom want to keep in possibility for the future (future proof). Initially, the British engineers did not plan for sufficient space for the catapults and the associated machinery.^{[citation needed]} Direction des Constructions Navales (DCN) is based in France and is one of Europes leading shipbuilders. ... The French Navy, officially called the National Navy (French: Marine Nationale) is the maritime arm of the French military. ... CATOBAR (Catapult Assisted Take Off But Arrested Recovery) is a system used for the launch and recovery of aircraft from the deck of an aircraft carrier. ... The phrase Future proofing describes the elusive process of trying to anticipate future developments, so that action can be taken to minimise possible negative consequences, and to seize opportunities. ...

Design

The Thales/BMT design features two small island structures, as opposed to the large single island of the Nimitz-class, and two deck lifts. The carrier's aircraft will operate in the Short Take-Off/Vertical Landing (STOVL) role. The carrier will initially be fitted with a ski-jump but will be fully convertible to the Catapult Assisted Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (CATOBAR) role. This will allow a second generation of aircraft to operate from the vessels after the expected 20 year service life of the F-35. The Thales Group (Euronext: HO) is a global electronics company serving aerospace, defence, and information technology markets worldwide. ... Established in 1985, BMT Limited is an international multi-disciplinary engineering, science and technology consultancy offering a broad range of services, particularly in the defence, energy, environment, shipping and general transportation sectors. ...

Carrier Air Group

The vessels are expected to be capable of carrying 48 fixed wing and rotary aircraft.^[1] The ASaC component is known as Maritime Airborne Surveillance & Control (MASC), and current expectations are that this will be an EH101 airframe with the systems from the current generation of Sea King ASaC, although versions of the V-22 Osprey are also being considered. The Westland Sea King ASaC7 is a Royal Navy helicopter operated in the Airborne Surveillance and Area Control (ASaC) role, previously the Airborne Early Warning (AEW) role. ... The V-22 Osprey is a joint service, multi-mission military aircraft with vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capability. ...

The crew will be about 600, only 15 more than Invincible, indicating the high level of automation being integrated into the ships' systems. Accommodation for 1,400 will be available.

Powerplant

The MoD has decided not to use nuclear propulsion for the aircraft carrier because of high costs. The carrier's propulsion system will be Integrated Full Electric Propulsion (IFEP) with the Rolls-Royce Marine Trent MT30 36 MW gas turbine generator units. Rolls-Royce plc is a British aircraft engine maker; the second-largest in the world, behind General Electric Aviation. ... The Rolls-Royce MT (Marine Trent) is a marine gas turbine based on Rolls-Royces Trent 800 aero engine. ... This machine has a single-stage centrifugal compressor and turbine, a recuperator, and foil bearings. ...

The optimum location for the position of the main propulsion system is being examined, with maximising the hangar space below decks a major consideration. The current design places one gas turbine generator unit under each island in the starboard sponson, on 4 deck. The unrefuelled range of the carrier will be 10,000 nautical miles (18 520 km).

Future proof

The UK has opted to build a larger carrier than strictly necessary for operation of the STOVL F-35B version. This allows the carrier to be designed for, but not with, catapults and arrestor wires for conventional aircraft launch and recovery (CATOBAR). The carrier is thus said to be future proof, allowing it to operate a generation of aircraft beyond the F-35, or perhaps the more conventional F-35C. It should be noted that reduction in size, particularly flight deck and hangar area, has a proportionally far greater effect on sortie generation capabilities than on costs, and the current design size represents better value for the RN than many smaller designs.^{[citation needed]} The phrase Future proofing describes the elusive process of trying to anticipate future developments, so that action can be taken to minimise possible negative consequences, and to seize opportunities. ... Sortie is a term for deployment of one military aircraft or a ship for the purposes of a specific mission, whether alone, or with other aircraft or vessels. ...

Systems

Many of the systems remain unspecified, however most designs released show a BAE Systems Insyte/Thales S1850M long range radar on the forward island structure. Some have also shown a BAE Systems Insyte SAMPSON radar on the rear island. BAE Systems Integrated System Technologies (to be known informally as Insyte) was formed on May 3, 2005 by bringing together BAE Systems interests in C4ISR and the UK operations of AMS following the Eurosystems Transaction (see BAE Systems for further details). ... Thales Nederland B.V. (formerly Signaal) is a subsidiary of Thales Group involved primarily in naval defence systems (sensors, radars and infrared systems). ... The S1850M is a long range radar for wide area search. ... Type 45 with SAMPSON radar on mast The SAMPSON is a multi-function radar produced by BAE Systems. ...

Size issues

Portsmouth Naval Dockyard.

With the proposed specification of 65,000 tonnes displacement and a length of 280 m (900 ft) there is no suitable dry dock for a CVF at either of the RN's two main naval bases, Portsmouth Naval Base or Devonport Naval Base. The No.10 Dock at Devonport is restricted to ships of about 40,000 tonnes and 259 m (850 ft) length, while the biggest two docks at Portsmouth are slightly smaller (259 m long with a 33 m beam, 256 m long respectively). Lengthening of any of these docks, or the construction of a new dry dock, would be a major and expensive exercise, although the largest dry dock in the world is at the Harland & Wolff shipyard in Belfast. Portsmouth Naval Dockyard. ... Portsmouth Naval Dockyard. ... U.S. Navy submarine USS Greeneville in dry dock following collision with a fishing boat. ... Portsmouth Naval Dockyard. ... Devonport in 1909, courtesy WW1 Archive Devonport Dockyard and the Hamoaze from the Rame Peninsula, Cornwall Her Majestys Naval Base (HMNB) Devonport (HMS Drake), is one of three operating naval bases in the Royal Navy. ... U.S. Navy submarine USS Greeneville in dry dock following collision with a fishing boat. ... Harland and Wolff Heavy Industries began as a shipyard located in Belfast, Northern Ireland. ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: 54. ...

Plans are advanced for the dredging of the approaches to the harbour, the harbour's main channel and the refurbishment of several jetties prior to the arrival of the first vessel.

See also

• Future French aircraft carrier "PA2" class
• Supercarrier
• The Royal Navy in the 21st Century
• European defence procurement
• United States Navy Gerald R. Ford class aircraft carrier and LHA-6

PA2 (Porte-Avions 2) is a planned new aircraft carrier developed for the French Navy by Thales Naval France and DCN from the Thales UK/BMT design for the future British aircraft carriers CV(F). ... USS Enterprise, a supercarrier, and the conventionally-sized aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle A Supercarrier is a ship belonging to the largest class of aircraft carrier. ... At the beginning of the 1990s, the Royal Navy was a force designed for the Cold War - with its three ASW aircraft carriers and a force of small frigates and destroyers, its purpose was to search for and destroy Soviet submarines in the North Atlantic. ... European defence procurement refers to the collective armaments purchasing polices of European nations. ... The United States Navy, also known as the USN or the U.S. Navy, is a branch of the United States armed forces responsible for conducting naval operations. ... The class aircraft carriers (or Ford-class) will be the next generation supercarrier for the United States Navy. ... The LHA-6 will be the first in a new class of amphibious assault ships to replace the Tarawa class. ...

References

GlobalSecurity. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the Anno Domini (common) era. ... February 19 is the 50th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... November 1 is the 305th day of the year (306th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 60 days remaining. ...

External links

• Defence Procurement Agency CVF Project pages
• Naval-Technology
• Navy Matters