May 2016
ACA Monthly News
Spotlight on…
Commander Steve Prest, Royal Navy
Head of Weapon Engineering
officers I am an integral member of the Command Team
providing trusted advice to the Command on a full range
of issues.
How did your career bring you to where you are
today, currently working with the Aircraft Carrier
Alliance?
I am a Weapon Engineer Officer and joined the Royal
Navy after reading Electronic and Electrical Engineering
at Loughborough University. I served in the Defence
Communications Services Agency in support of Op
TELIC 1 (Iraq); undertook a tour in Afghanistan as a
Liaison Officer to Task Force Helmand; and served on
exchange with the French Navy.
More recently I was the Weapon Engineer Officer in
HMS WESTMINSTER undertaking operations the
Mediterranean (Libya), Arabian Gulf and Indian Ocean.
Having completed the Advanced Command and Staff
Course, I worked in the Maritime Capability Division of
Navy Command Headquarters as the Fleet Robotics
Officer before joining HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH.
When did you start working on the QEC programme
and what is your current role?
I joined HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH in January 2016 as
the Commander (Weapon Engineer). I am the Head of
the ship’s Weapon Engineering Department and also
lead the ship’s media organisation.
What does that involve?
As Cdr (WE) I am responsible for leading the Weapon
Engineering Department of HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH.
The weapons engineering departments will be
responsible for all the mission systems equipment, once
handed over, as well as all of the magazines and
munitions handling systems. As one of the Ship’s senior
What are the key challenges of your role?
The key challenge is balancing the demands on our
people’s time. There is significant demand for Weapon
Engineers to support HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH Testing
and Commissioning programme. We don’t see our
contractual obligations as a target but, rather, the bare
minimum; this is a team sport and we are doing all we
can to help the ACA team. In the meantime, we have a
significant training programme to achieve to ensure that
we are competent, both as individuals and a team, to take
this national strategic asset to sea and protect her.
What are you most proud of “Even after 17 years in
about your role?
the organisation,
I am hugely proud to be
putting on the uniform
an Officer in the
each morning still
Royal Navy. Even
gives me a great
after 17 years in the
sense of pride.” Cdr
organisation, putting on
Steve Prest, Head of
the uniform each morning
Weapon Engineering.
still gives me a great sense of
pride. I also love being part of a Ship’s Company.
Leading and Commanding sailors is a privilege and a joy.
It has its challenges, to be sure, but the verve, potential
and aptitude of our people is inspiring. My job is to
ensure that all of those attributes are properly harnessed
to deliver HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH ready for operations
in defence of our nation’s interests.
What has been the highlight of working on the QEC
programme for you?
The highlight of my time so far was walking on board
HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH for the first time. She is an
amazing ship that we should all rightly be proud of. I am
extremely excited about the prospect of taking her to sea
for the first time and bringing her home to Portsmouth
next year.
Finally, what do you do in your spare time?
I live on the south coast of England so the time I get at
home is limited, but I enjoy spending that with my wife
and daughter. I enjoy reading and I’m a keen fan of most
sports, particularly football and rugby, participating when
time and body allow.
Unique thermal metal coating developed
Captain Simon Petitt, Senior Naval Officer of HMS
QUEEN ELIZABETH, said: "The new flight deck coating is
one of the many 21st Century engineering innovations
being incorporated in the Queen Elizabeth Class
programme. As the largest warships ever built for the
Royal Navy, these powerful ambassadors will protect UK
interests around the globe for the next 50 years."
The specialist thermal coating is being applied to sections
of the vast flight deck of HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH using
a specially developed robotic spray, which fires powdered
metal through a jet of plasma at temperatures of almost
10,000°C (18,000°F). The molten droplets then flatten
and quickly solidify, creating a tough but rough coating 22.5 mm thick that is bonded to the steel beneath.
Approximately 2,000 square metres of the 19,000 square
metre flight deck will be coated, with the work due to be
completed prior to sea trials in early 2017.
An innovative thermal metal coating has been developed
specifically by British companies to protect the flight deck
of the Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers from the
heat which results from the immense thrust of the engines
of the new F-35B Lightning II fighter jets.
Specialist teams from across the Aircraft Carrier Alliance
have developed the unique protective coating capable of
resisting the high temperature exhaust gases emitted by
the new F-35B Lightning II aircraft during its short take-off
and vertical landings.
Using a combination of aluminium and titanium, the
thermal metal coating can withstand temperatures of up to
1,500°C (2,700°F). The coating, developed in partnership
with Monitor Coatings based in Tyne and Wear, is
expected to provide long-term protection through the life
of the carriers and forms an important part of the work
underway to prepare HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH for sea
trials next year and flight trials in 2018.
Ian Booth, Managing Director of the Aircraft Carrier
Alliance, said: “There is incredible momentum behind the
programme to prepare HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH for sea
trials and integrate the F-35B Lightning II aircraft. Working
with experts in the UK, we have developed a unique
coating to provide the necessary protection to the flight
deck of the aircraft carriers and this will ensure they can
deliver the UK’s carrier strike capability for the next fifty
years.”
The specialist thermal coating is being applied to sections
of the vast flight deck of HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH using
a specially developed robotic spray, which fires powdered
metal through a jet of plasma at temperatures of almost
10,000°C (18,000°F). The molten droplets then flatten
and quickly solidify, creating a tough but rough coating 22.5 mm thick that is bonded to the steel beneath.
Approximately 2,000 square metres of the 19,000 square
metre flight deck will be coated, with the work due to be
completed prior to sea trials in early 2017.
First Sea Captain Joins HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH
On leaving the ship for the last time, Captain Petitt said:
“It has been an extreme honour to be in charge of the first
crew of the Navy’s future flagship and play a small part in
shaping how the ship will operate. It is without doubt the
pinnacle of my career. In particular watching a shell of a
ship develop at pace and a ship’s company grow from 9
to 580 personnel, which I proudly hand over to Captain
Kyd to take to sea. I congratulate the Aircraft Carrier
Alliance for their tremendous work and my crew, for their
support.”
Joining as the Senior Naval Officer of the sister ship HMS
PRINCE OF WALES, Captain Ian Groom, said: “Today
marks a proud moment in my naval career as I assume
responsibility for the rapidly growing ship’s company of
HMS Prince of Wales. I am delighted to join at such an
exciting time and be part of such a professional dedicated
team.”
HMS Queen Elizabeth, will set sail for the first time in
early 2017 when she will move to her permanent home
on the Princess Royal Jetty in Portsmouth Naval Base,
with HMS Prince of Wales following in 2019.
HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH has reached a major
milestone in her programme with the arrival of the first
Commanding Officer, Captain Jerry Kyd.
Captain Kyd, who will be responsible for leading the men
and women who will operate the 65,000 tonne ship from
her future base port, Portsmouth Naval Base, took
command of his ship on Tuesday 24 May 2016.
In his first speech to
his ship’s
“I am extremely proud to
company,
be leading you as the
Captain Kyd
ship’s first Captain as we
said: “It is a
work together with the
singular
Aircraft Carrier Alliance to
honour to
sail from Rosyth for sea
be taking
trials early next year.”
command
Captain Kyd, Commanding
of the crew of our
Officer.
future Flagship. I am
extremely proud to be leading you as the ship’s first
Captain as we work together with the Aircraft Carrier
Alliance to sail from Rosyth for sea trials early next year.
“We are proud in purpose and focused in our work as we
look to the sea and our arrival in our home port of
Portsmouth in about a year’s time.”
Although Captain Kyd remains a substantive
Commodore, he will follow historical custom and
routinely wear the rank of Captain Royal Navy in his role
as Commanding Officer of HMS Queen Elizabeth.
He takes over from Captain Simon Petitt who has been
Senior Naval Officer of HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH and
HMS PRINCE OF WALES as they generate through
their build programmes.
Specialist Centre to support Aircraft Carriers
takes shape
A new centre containing facilities to support the new
Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers is nearing
completion at Portsmouth Naval Base.
The Queen Elizabeth Class Centre of Specialisation will
cover an area of 70,000 square metres – approximately
the size of 10 football pitches. It will include a 7,000
square metre Forward Support Centre able to hold 15,000
pallets of medical, mail and naval stores under one roof, a
café seating more than 500 people at any one time and a
reception centre for all those working on or visiting the
carriers.
The centre will house employees of Team Portsmouth, a
partnership between the Ministry of Defence and BAE
Systems, with engineers, logisticians and waterfront staff
working alongside each other to plan and deliver the
maintenance for these ships.
Mike Howarth, Managing Director for BAE Systems
Maritime Services in Portsmouth, said: “At 65,000 tonnes
the new carriers are the largest and most complex naval
ships built in the UK. It’s essential that they have high
quality facilities and highly skilled people to support them.
“This centre will be the home not just for the carriers; it will
also be home for the military and civilian people who
support them. With improvements to the jetty and
construction of a high voltage power station already in its
final stages, you can now see that we are well on the way
to being ready for HMS Queen Elizabeth’s arrival next
year.”
Commodore Jeremy Rigby, Naval Base Commander,
said: “The work on the Queen Elizabeth Class centre is
yet another tangible milestone in getting the Naval Base
ready to support our new aircraft carriers. A huge amount
of activity is in train ashore and in the harbour to make
sure we are ready to receive HMS Queen Elizabeth.
“These are exciting times for the Naval Base and the
wider Portsmouth area as we prepare for these huge
ships which have secured the future of the base for the
rest of the century.
“BAE Systems is working in partnership with the Royal
Navy under the Team Portsmouth banner to improve the
QE Class Ships’ Company experience that the carrier’s
crew will receive at the waterfront and provide the
resources, information, material and facilities they will
need in Portsmouth and on operations around the world.”
Mark Lancaster, Minister for Defence Personnel and
Veterans, was at Portsmouth Naval Base to see the
progress on the infrastructure works.
He said: "This new Centre of Specialisation will ensure
that our highly skilled engineers, logisticians and
waterfront staff are well supported, and have the facilities
they need as Portsmouth becomes the home of the
Queen Elizabeth Class Carriers next year.
"Our £100 million investment in the naval base and the
arrival of the carriers will support and sustain thousands of
jobs across the region.“
The creation of a dedicated area for the carriers forms
part of the overall vision for Portsmouth Naval Base – four
dedicated areas to support the ships based ships.
For images and videos click here.
Virtual future for Aircraft Carriers
The future of warship support has been revealed at the
13th International Naval Engineering Conference and
Exhibition (INEC 2016) in Bristol.
Three apprentices, who work for BAE Systems at
Portsmouth Naval Base, entered a paper for the
conference’s Sir Donald Gosling Award that shows how
virtual reality could have a practical application on the
new Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers.
A computer-generated simulation of a 3D environment
would allow users to physically interact with their
surroundings in real time. The technology is known in the
commercial sector for its use in the gaming industry.
BAE Systems has developed virtual reality simulations
for training and for its world-leading warship design and
build. The paper describes how the technology could be
also applied to three areas of ship support: design
services, training, and business communications.
The work draws on the apprentices’ experiences of
developing the support solution for the Queen Elizabeth
Class. Ross Basketter and Craig Birchmore are both in
the fourth year of their Engineering Technician
Apprenticeship. Abbi Fisher is in the third year of her
Engineering Technician Apprenticeship and all are
currently working on the Queen Elizabeth Class
Readiness Programme.
INEC, a major international conference for naval
engineers, is an Institute of Marine Engineering, Science
and Technology (IMarEST) Learned Society event. The
paper was one of 23 presented to the Sir Donald Gosling
Award judging panel.
Judging Panel Chairman John Newell, who is also Head
of Queen Elizabeth Class Support at BAE Systems, said:
“The sheer size and complexity of the new carriers
present support staff with a challenge both in finding their
way around the ship and in supporting the ship’s systems.
“This paper highlights
““This paper highlights the
the opportunity that
opportunity that virtual
virtual reality offers
reality
offers in building
in building
intimate
knowledge of the
intimate
ship
from
ashore,” John
knowledge of the
Newell,
Head
of Queen
ship from ashore,
Elizabeth
Class
Support,
assists in designing
BAE
Systems.
future changes to the
ships and helps with
planning support activities amongst many potential
benefits to improve effective and efficient delivery of
support.”
Did you see the carriers in the news?
On Thursday 19 May the Aircraft Carrier Alliance hosted some
journalists from national and international media outlets in Rosyth.
The ACA and Royal Navy provided a briefing about the programme,
followed by a tour of both HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH and HMS
PRINCE OF WALES. The tour gave national media (including FT,
Bloomberg, BBC, The Sun, Daily Mail, Mirror and Telegraph) access
to completed compartments, including an accommodation area,
Junior Rates galley, flight deck and bridge on ship 1, plus onto the
flight deck of ship 2.
This gave us the opportunity to unveil the new thermal metal coating
technology developed by the ACA to protect the flight deck from the
landing and take-off of the F35B Lightning II (see article p2).
Here’s just some of the positive coverage from over the weekend.
Willie McLachlan says goodbye by raising £11,000
for charity
“We raised around £11,000 at the ball and I have been
overwhelmed by the kindness and generosity of our
sponsors and guests who have invested their time and
money to raise vital funds for the selected charities.”
Around 300 guests danced the night away on Friday at
the Aircraft Carrier Alliance Charity Ball held in the Grand
Central Hotel, Glasgow.
Willie’s dedication to charity and £2 million raised has not
gone unnoticed as he was awarded an MBE for his
commitment and service to charity in 2011. On being
made a Member of the British Empire Willie commented:
“Charitable work has become a way of life for me,
whether it’s organising a fundraising event or devoting
time to help with projects. Meeting the people who
benefit from donations, no matter how small or large, and
seeing the difference we can make to those who are less
fortunate makes it all worthwhile. I was overwhelmed to
be recognised in this way and feel very honoured and
grateful.”
The glamorous event saw workers at the Alliance trade
in their overalls and hardhats for black ties and tiaras
while raising money for RNRMC, CHAS, St Margaret’s
Hospice, Motor Neuron Disease Scotland & Prostate
Charity UK. The Ball’s guests were treated to a glittering
array of entertainment by Diego, a brilliant band with a
set encompassing 50s classics to modern chart toppers,
which got the crowd on their feet from the first to the last
beat. Guests were also given the opportunity to bid for
some fantastic prizes including an iPad, a fourball at
Gleneagles and an overnight stay at the Grand Central
Hotel.
Over the years, Willie has organised hundreds of
fundraising events, from golf tournaments and abseils to
charity cycles and auctions, both outside of work and
with the company however the ball will hold a special
place in Willie’s heart not only because it was the first
Alliance event, but because it was the last charity event
he will organise before retiring from BAE Systems on
Thursday following 40 years of service. Willie started his
career in Glasgow in 1976 and joined the Aircraft Carrier
Alliance in Rosyth in 2012. Over the years he has played
an integral part in driving down accidents and making our
sites safer and for that we will always be grateful.
The event was organised by SHE Manager and longtime charity fundraiser Willie McLachlan. Willie has
devoted the past 35 years to raising funds and giving
time to a number of charitable organisations close to his
heart so it was no surprise when he came up with the
idea to host an Alliance Ball to not only raise funds for
charity but also bring together workers from across the
industry partners for a night of fun and dancing.
Willie told us “This is the 8th
“No one can comprehend
time I have organised a
how life can change in a
charity ball of this
second and I encourage
nature and I can
others to get involved in
honestly say
helping
children and families
this was by far
up
and
down
the country get
the best. The most
the
support
and
care they
important thing is the
need
so
they
can
make
every
beneficiaries of the
moment
count.”
Willie
money raised, anything
McLachlan, SHE Manager.
we can do to make life a
bit easier for them is hugely
rewarding. I have been involved with
various charities for many years and have seen the
amazing work they can do caring for those in need as
well as supporting the families. No one can comprehend
how life can change in a second and I encourage others
to get involved in helping children and families up and
down the country get the support and care they need so
they can make every moment count.
Willie said “I have met some
“I have met some
wonderful colleagues over
wonderful
colleagues
the years who I am now
over
the
years
who I
proud to call friends
am
now
proud
to
call
and I would like to take
friends.”
Willie
this opportunity to thank
McLachlan, SHE
all of them for making my
Manager.
time both in Glasgow and
Rosyth an experience I will never
forget.”
Pupils get a crash course in engineering
Babcock STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering &
Mathematics) Ambassadors including graduates have
been hosting a number of learning and development
sessions at Rosyth. Last month over 60 Primary 1 pupils
from East Craigs Primary School attended learning and
development sessions at the ACA Viewing Area to take
part in team building activities tailored to wider aspects of
engineering.
Supported by the ambassador’s and graduates, the
pupils were involved in a range of activities that saw
them working together building a Lego model of an
aircraft carrier striving towards the same goal and a
better understanding of engineering.
Babcock’s Lead Detail Planner Agata Knuta said “As part
of the school’s learning and development curriculum
events such as these create an opportunity to plant the
seed which can flourish and beat the discouraging
forecasts of shortages of engineers in the future.”
“East Craig Primary School was grateful for the
opportunity and thank the Babcock team for their time
and efforts.”
A special thanks goes out to:
Mavis Amadi,
Stephanie Ferguson
Ross Brewster
David Campbell
Mark Hanlin
David Burnett
Lisa Brown.
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