HRH Prince Charles places the final section of HMS Prince of Wales
The second of the largest warships ever built for the Royal Navy, the Queen Elizabeth Class carrier HMS PRINCE OF WALES, was given the royal seal of approval when HRH The Prince of Wales, (or Duke of Rothesay as he is referred to in Scotland), visited Babcock’s Rosyth Facilities and signalled for the final section to be lowered into place, BAE Systems said in a press release.
The 570-tonne block (known as Sponson 11) was the final section of the 280-metre-long warship to be manufactured. In an historic moment, HRH Duke of Rothesay gave the order for the massive section, which includes part of the flight deck, to be lowered into place by the Goliath crane. This allows the final welding to start in order to make the carrier structurally complete.
Now the ship will undergo the next phase of the construction, including outfitting, testing and commissioning of her propulsion and mission systems, and then will start harbour trials in Rosyth before setting off for sea trials in 2019. HMS PRINCE OF WALES will be delivered off contract in 2019.
BAE Systems
BAE Systems is a global defence, aerospace and security company employing around 83,400 people worldwide. The Company's wide-ranging products and services cover air, land and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, security, information technology, and support services.
