<P> Queen Elizabeth was scheduled to return to Rosyth at the end of July for rectification work based on the results of the ship's first sea trials, before putting to sea for a second time to undergo a series of mission system tests, prior to being handed over to the Royal Navy . This plan was abandoned and she instead steered for her home port, Portsmouth . </P> <P> Queen Elizabeth arrived at Portsmouth for the first time on 16 August 2017 and berthed at the newly renamed Princess Royal Jetty (formerly Middle Slip Jetty) within HMNB Portsmouth . On 30 October 2017, the ship departed Portsmouth for the first time for the second phase of her sea trials off the south and south - west coasts of England . Queen Elizabeth returned to Portsmouth on 21 November 2017 to prepare for her official commissioning ceremony, which was held on 7 December 2017 . </P> <P> Once the initial stage 1 and 2 sea trials were complete, the ship was commissioned into the Royal Navy on 7 December 2017 . Following the ship's commissioning, it underwent a period of defect correction in Portsmouth; one widely reported instance was a minor leak through a seal in one of the propeller shafts, which the Royal Navy stated was not serious enough to keep the ship from her planned programme . In January 2018, Queen Elizabeth will sail to undergo her initial Operational Sea Training, before being taken into the North Atlantic for the first time for heavy weather trials and helicopter certification operations . On return, further work will prepare the ship for operation of fixed - wing aircraft . In the latter half of 2018, Queen Elizabeth will sail for the United States where flying trials of the F - 35B will begin . A "full operational capability" will be declared in 2020 . </P> <P> The two ships of the Queen Elizabeth class are each expected to be capable of carrying forty aircraft, a maximum of thirty - six F - 35s and four helicopters . The 2010 SDSR anticipated the routine peacetime deployment of twelve F - 35Bs, but a typical warload will be 24 F - 35Bs and some helicopters . These could be a Maritime Force Protection package of nine anti-submarine Merlin HM2 and five Merlin Crowsnest for airborne early warning; alternatively a Littoral Manoeuvre package could include a mix of Royal Navy Commando Helicopter Force Merlin HC4, Wildcat AH1, RAF Chinooks, and Army Air Corps Apaches . As of September 2013 six landing spots are planned, but the deck could be marked out for the operation of ten medium helicopters at once, allowing the lift of a company of 250 troops . The hangars are designed for CH - 47 Chinook operations without blade folding and for the V - 22 Osprey tiltrotor, whilst the aircraft lifts can accommodate two Chinooks with unfolded blades . </P>

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