The Duke of York paid a special visit to HMS Collingwood recently to view the Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers bridge simulator runs developed for Royal Navy Navigators in Endeavour Building. He also visited Lyster Building for a tour of the integration facility for the Mission System that will be fitted in the QE class ships.
The Mission System delivers the capability in QEC to ‘fight’ the ship; including Navigation, Tactical Picture Compilation, Air Traffic Control, Communications, mission planning for the embarked F35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter and Merlin helicopters, and enablers to conduct engineering maintenance and provide logistics support.
The cutting edge facility at HMS Collingwood is used to integrate the components of the Mission System onto the fibre-optic communications network that forms its backbone.
The network itself has just passed a key stage of acceptance on its journey to installation in HMS Queen Elizabeth, supported by the first weapon engineers forming part of her Ship’s Company.
HRH received a brief on how QEC, with Lightning II and Merlin, will contribute to the Royal Navy’s forward capability as part of the Future Force 2020 vision; met part of the joint RN-Industry team currently working in Lyster Building and witnessed some of the latest technology being developed to help ensure QEC is a world-beater when she enters service towards the end of this decade.
The Consort bridge simulator in HMS Collingwood was used to conduct a suitability assessment for the new dredged channel and corresponding navigational marks into Portsmouth harbour for use by the Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers.
It was also used to assess the shiphandling dynamics of the QEC under varying wind and tidal conditions.
The trials were prepared and facilitated by the Bridge Simulator Manager, David Goddard, and supported by the joint Babcock simulator controllers and technicians, in conjunction with the Admiralty Pilots, and Specialist Navigators from Portsmouth Naval Base and HMS Collingwood. Following the decision to revert to the ‘ski ramp’, the model will be modified and further trials scheduled for June 2013 to confirm that the channel continues to be viable.
[mappress] Naval Today Staff, March 28, 2013; Image: Royal Navy