Carrier hull section sent to Scotland for ship assembly process

LONDON, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- A more than 6,000-ton hull section of a new Royal Navy aircraft carrier is on its way to Scotland from England for the ship's final assembly process.

BAE System said the Lower Block 02 hull section of the HMS Prince of Wales is being sailed from Portsmouth to its shipyard in Rosyth, Scotland, where it would be maneuvered into drydock.

"This is a significant milestone for the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier program and a particularly proud one for the team in Portsmouth whose contribution to delivering the nation's flagships has been outstanding," said Mick Ord, managing director at BAE Systems Naval Ships.

Lower Block 02 forms the forward hull section of the ship. It will house cabins, machinery spaces, stores and switchboards. It is more than 65 feet in height and more than 229.6 feet in length.

BAE Systems said more than 8,000 pipes and 800,000 feet of cable have been installed in the hull section.

BAE Systems is part of the Aircraft Carrier Alliance, a consortium that includes Thales UK, Babcock and the Ministry of Defense. It has a prominent role in managing the Queen Elizabeth-class program and also has a central role in the design and build of the ships of the two aircraft carriers.