The Royal Navy aircraft carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth, has now completed her first visit to western Scotland.
The fleet flagship arrived at the new Northern Ammunition Jetty at Glen Mallan, in Loch Long, on Monday 15 March and bid Scotland farewell the following Saturday.
The £3 billion vessel, which was assembled at Rosyth in Fife, had spent two weeks prior at sea testing and trialling her latest equipment.
The HMS Queen Elizabeth became a familiar sight in the Firth of Forth where she was assembled.
Police helicopter captured some images of @HMSQNLZ both arriving and departing Loch Long under escort by @MODPolice #policeairsupport #lochlong @AButeWDunbarPol pic.twitter.com/x4yHdLlh0t
— Police Scotland Air Unit (@polscotair) March 22, 2021
And she was the first of the Royal Navy’s fleet to visit the new £64 million facility, built at Glen Mallan by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO).
Captain Angus Essenhigh, HMS Queen Elizabeth Commanding Officer, said: “We are very proud of the close connection our ship has with Scotland, especially with our affiliated city of Edinburgh.
“HMS Queen Elizabeth embodies the best of British engineering and craftsmanship, including Scottish shipbuilding, and it is a privilege to return to her birthplace of Scotland.”
#ViewFromTheOffice | Watching over @HMSQNLZ during the ships’s stay at Glen Mallan...#MDP_CMU#MarinePolicing#KeepingDefenceSafe @policescotland @RoyalNavy pic.twitter.com/6Ows1tStC7
— Ministry of Defence Police (@MODPolice) March 16, 2021
Operated by Defence Equipment and Support through Defence Munitions, the Northern Ammunition Jetty is specifically designed to support the surface fleet, allowing them to continue entering and berthing at Glen Mallan.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said: “HMS Queen Elizabeth has a very proud affiliation to Scotland and it is only fitting she returns before her first operational deployment later this year.
“The £64m investment into the new Northern Ammunition Jetty reaffirms our commitment to supporting our core capabilities and defence estate across all corners of the UK.”
Carrier @HMSQNLZ has arrived in Glen Mallan, #Scotland. The ship is making final preparations for her maiden operational deployment this spring and visited Western Scotland to pick up stores. Thanks to @policescotland for this stunning aerial footage
— Royal Navy (@RoyalNavy) March 15, 2021
🔗 https://t.co/X6z7RtecH0 pic.twitter.com/K7AVXnPSqd
HMS Queen Elizabeth is due to sail for Portsmouth at the end of the month, and will deploy to the Mediterranean, Indian Ocean and East Asia later this year, as part of the UK’s Carrier Strike Group.
The 65,000 tonne carrier is capable of carrying up to 40 aircraft and is primarily used to launch F35 strike aircraft.
Authorities have warned that drones and aircraft must not be flown in the vicinity of the ship due to operational security.
Setting sail after a successful week in Glenmallan. Thank you @policescotland and @DefenceES 👍 pic.twitter.com/NC7qBryep1
— HMS Queen Elizabeth🇬🇧 (@HMSQNLZ) March 20, 2021
Police Scotland tweeted: “Please be advised that for the duration that HMS Queen Elizabeth is visiting Glen Mallan, no aircraft are allowed to fly within three nautical miles of the ship and below 6,000 feet within the three nautical mile radius.
“Drones must not fly within three nautical miles either; this includes while the ship is travelling to and from the harbour.”
They added: “If anyone sees someone flying near to the ship, or preparing a drone for flight near the ship, they should contact Police Scotland on 999.”
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