Watch as the Royal Navy's HMS Queen Elizabeth undertakes speedy and intricate explosives rearmament at sea
HOW do you transfer 14 tonnes of live missiles and bombs across two ships on choppy waters? The Royal Navy has shown how, as the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth undertakes her first live munitions rearmament at sea.
On social media, the Royal Navy posted a time-lapse video showing the delicate operation to manoeuvre dozens of cutting-edge bombs from RFA Fort Victoria – as the two warships maintain a brisk pace across the waves.
More than 14 tonnes of rounds, missiles, and bombs were transferred, including 16 Paveway IV laser guided bombs for the supersonic stealth F-35B jets onboard.
In a tweet, a crew member onboard said: ‘1st time transferring live munitions today, 14540kg of them.
‘Loaded on from @RFAFortVictoria, along with food and aviation fuel, keeping our sailors and jets going at sea! #CSG21’
More than 41 tonnes of food and provisions were also loaded onboard the aircraft carrier, which can accommodate more 1,600 crew members.
The Queen Elizabeth-class carriers carry more than 66,000 sausages, 28,800 rashers of bacon, 64,800 eggs, and 12,000 tins of beans during deployments to keep everyone onboard well-fed.
HMS Queen Elizabeth has recently visited the US territory of Guam after venturing through the South China Sea, where she was stalked by Chinese subs.