HMS Queen Elizabeth Docks in Scotland in Leadup to First Deployment
The U.K. Royal Navy’s flagship aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth has arrived in Glen Mallan, Scotland, as part of final preparations before her first operational deployment set to commence later this year.Sailing in along the Firth of Clyde, the 65,000-tonne warship has spent the last two weeks at sea testing and trialing her latest equipment, before berthing at the new Northern Ammunition Jetty for a routine onload of operational stores.HMS Queen Elizabeth is the first of the Royal Navy’s fleet to visit the new £64 million facility, built by the Defense Infrastructure Organization (DIO).
US’ New Aircraft Carrier 75% Structurally Complete
The next nuclear-powered aircraft carrier for the U.S. Navy is now three-quarters structurally complete following the recent installation of the forward area of the ship’s main deck, shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) announced today.John F. Kennedy (CVN 79), the second ship in the Gerald R. Ford class of carriers, has been taking shape at HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding division since the ship’s keel was laid in August 2015. The ship is being built using modular construction…
Unmanned Aircraft Taxies on US Aircraft Carrier
An X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) demonstrator aircraft recently taxied on flight deck of 'USS Harry S. Truman'. During the test phase, UCAS deck operators used an arm-mounted control display unit (CDU) to remotely control the aircraft. Gerrit Everson, one of the operators who controlled the X-47B, said the UCAS demonstrator displayed excellent integration with Truman's flight deck. "With the CDU, we followed the aircraft director's signals to move the aircraft left or right, over the arresting wire, to and from the catapults and to various spotting positions," said Everson. Lt. Cmdr.
US Aircraft Carrier – Modular Structure 75% Complete Say HII
Huntington Ingalls Industries announce structural production of aircraft carrier 'Gerald R. Huntington Ingalls Industries has announced that structural production of the aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) is 75 percent complete. The lead ship in the new class of carriers has been under construction at the company's Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) division since November 2009. It is on track to meet its scheduled launch in 2013 and delivery to the U.S. Navy in 2015. Gerald R. Ford is the first in a class of next-generation aircraft carriers.
PC Operator Workstation Uniquely Suited For Maritime Use
For the maritime industry, the advent of the personal computer and related control systems has been a boon. Bridge, propulsion and a host of other onboard controls, formerly a hodgepodge of nonstandard analog and digital systems, now are beginning to benefit from the compactness and standardization of the PC and related control architectures. "Open" systems (PC industry terminology for a variety of compatibility standards) and the familiar Windows user interface makes PC-based systems relatively easy to integrate, install, maintain and use. From bridge and deck stations to the engine room and the hold, the PC is here to stay. But between the familiar "pizza box" or "tower" design of commercial PCs and the rugged models that can stand up to the rigors of onboard operation lies a wide gulf.
