Royal Navy's newest aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth's flight deck as ship's company take up residence ready for sailing
- Over the last couple of months, the 700-strong Ship's Company has been navigating its way around carrier
- Now they have finally moved in, which the Navy states is an 'important step in bringing to life' the behemoth
- HMS Queen Elizabeth, which is capable of carrying up to 40 aircrafts, is due to begin sea trials this summer
- The massive ship, which is 920 feet long and weighs in at 65,000 tonnes, will set up home in Portsmouth
Sailors have finally taken up residence aboard the Royal Navy's newest aircraft carrier and future flagship, HMS Queen Elizabeth.
Over the last couple of months, the 700-strong Ship's Company has been navigating its way around the 65,000-tonne behemoth.
During that time, officers and enlisted personnel have been familiarising themselves with the new and high tech systems on board, undergoing training and eating meals prepared in the state of the art galley.
Now, they have finally moved in, which the Navy states is an 'important step in the process of bringing to life' its newest aircraft carrier.
Members of the Air Department from HMS Queen Elizabeth are pictured on the flight deck. Sailors have finally taken up residence aboard the Royal Navy's newest aircraft carrier and future flagship
Pictured is ETME Broomfield, AB(WS) Johnson, WTR Debinney-Wright, LA(AH) Foreeron and AET Challenger as they move along 5 deck. Over the last couple of months, the 700-strong Ship's Company has been navigating its way around the 65,000-tonne behemoth
HMS Queen Elizabeth is in 'advanced stages' of her test and commissioning phase and will undertake her maiden sea trials programme in the summer. The impressive carrier, capable of carrying up to 40 aircrafts, is due to complete its first voyage to its home in Portsmouth, Hants, in autumn
Over the last few weeks, officers and enlisted personnel have been familiarising themselves with the new and high tech systems on board, undergoing training and eating meals prepared in the state of the art galley. Now, they have finally moved in, which the Navy states is an 'important step in the process of bringing to life' its newest aircraft carrier
The ship, pictured, has previously been described as the most 'potent' conventional weapon against Islamic State by Captain Simon Petitt, and will carry he most advanced stealth fighter jet in the world - the F-35B Lightening II
Captain Simon Petitt (pictured, right, on the HMS Queen Elizabeth, with navigator Lt Commander Jex Brettel) said the vessel was is part of a £6.2billion project to allow the UK to help other nations 'police the world'
HMS Queen Elizabeth is in 'advanced stages' of her test and commissioning phase and will undertake her maiden sea trials programme in the summer.
The impressive carrier, capable of carrying up to 40 aircrafts, is due to complete its first voyage to its home in Portsmouth, Hants, in autumn.
And the latest figures by the Ministry of Defence show the Senior Service was almost 1,000 people shy of its target of 30,200 regular personnel, with a deficit of 940.
However, a recent national recruitment drive by the navy has shown some success, with overall number swelling by 130 people between October 2016 and April.
But critics have said a move to 'hollow out' the nation's armed forces in 2010 had created a 'vicious circle'.
In March, retired First Sea Lord, Admiral Lord Alan West urged action and said: 'Cutting 4,000 people in 2010 was a terrible error and one we are still feeling now.'
Admiral Sir Philip Jones said he was committed to seeing his fleet's new carrier in Portsmouth by the end of this year - but would not commit to a date.
Sir Philip said: 'We're not committing to a date yet. We've got to get them to sea first and see how sea trials are going, but it will be this calendar year.'
Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said on a recent election campaign visit to the city that Queen Elizabeth would be in the city by the autumn.
When they are both finally finished, the massive 65,000-ton HMS Queen Elizabeth and its twin, the HMS Prince of Wales, will be the centrepieces of Britain's naval warfare capability. At around 920ft long - equivalent to 28 London buses parked end-to-end - the aircraft carriers are the largest warships ever built for the Royal Navy
Workers hard at work in the hanger of HMS Queen Elizabeth at Rosyth Docks. The Queen Elizabeth Class Carriers are are being delivered by the Aircraft Carrier Alliance, a joint venture between BAE Systems, Thales UK, Babcock and the UK Ministry of Defence
HMS Queen Elizabeth pictured being built at Rosyth Naval Dockyard last year before its new crew arrived and began familiarising themselves on the behemoth
An employee inspects cabling inside the British Royal Navy's new HMS Queen Elizabeth at Babcock shipyard in Rosyth, which should be deployed for sea trials this summer
The impressive carrier, capable of carrying up to 40 aircrafts, pictured, is due to complete its first voyage to its home port in Portsmouth, Hampshire, in autumn
An employee is pictured carrying out checks on decks of HMS Queen Elizabeth, which will 'pack quite a punch', according to its captain
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