HMS Queen Elizabeth British aircraft carrier to visit Greece in June


According to information published by Kathimerini, The HMS Queen Elizabeth, the 65,000-ton British aircraft carrier, first of its class with the same name, will anchor at Souda Bay and, possibly, Piraeus, next June.
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Russian Vyborg Shipyard laid the Purga ice class coastguard ship of project 23550 925 001 HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier R08 (Picture source: Wikipedia)


The aircraft carrier will head to the Indian Ocean, passing through the eastern Mediterranean and participating in joint exercises with other countries, including Greece.

The arrival of Queen Elizabeth is part of the British participation in the celebrations of the 200th anniversary of the Greek War of Independence, but appears to be linked to the British interest in selling Type 31 frigates to the Greek Navy.

The HMS Queen Elizabeth is the first of the two Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers in service with the British Navy. The ship began sea trials in June 2017, was commissioned on 7 December 2017 and entered service with the British Navy in 2020.

The HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier is able to carry up to forty aircraft, with a normal maximum load of thirty-six F-35s and four helicopters, but she has also a theoretical surge capacity of up to 72 aircraft. The aircraft carrier can be also used as a Maritime Force Protection package with nine anti-submarines Merlin HM2 and five Merlin Crowsnest able to conduct airborne early warning missions. The ship can also carry a mix of Royal Navy Commando Helicopter Force Merlin HC4, Wildcat AH1, RAF Chinooks, and Army Air Corps Apaches.