HMS Queen Elizabeth floats for the first time

HMS Queen Elizabeth, the biggest warship in the UK, has floated for the first time. Recently, the vessel was moved from her dry dock to Rosyth neighbouring jetty. There she will be completed for the next 2 years.

The whole operation of moving the vessel finished in three hours with the assistance of a fleet of tugs. The next step of the construction of the 65,000-tonne warship is outfitting and preparing for sea trails in 2016.

On 4th of July, the battle ship was officially named by the Queen at Rosyth. Instead of a champagne bottle, a  bottle of Islay malt whiskey was smashed into the hull of HMS Queen Elizabeth. The lead ship of the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers is due to be commissioned in early 2017 she has to be operational from 2020.

Her place in the dry dock will be taken by her sister vessel, HMS Prince of Wales. The final assembly of the next Queen Elizabeth-class carrier will start in September.

Time-lapse video of the HMS Queen Elizabeth being moved:

Video: Royal Navy

Image: NavalToday