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ACA Monthly News April 2015

Commissioning progress on HMS Queen Elizabeth

The HMS Queen Elizabeth team have been celebrating

the important milestone of finishing the installation of all

the blown fibre microduct on the entire ship.

Andrew Harris, Mission

System Platform

Manager, explained:

“The microduct is

the main cable

conduit for the

optical fibre that will

carry all the

information across the

ship between the 30 main

systems and 90 sub-systems

onboard. To have completed all

83,000 metres of cable is a great achievement. All we

have to do now is patch the internal microduct tubes

together and complete the blowing of the optical fibres

across Damage Control (DC) Zones 4 and 5.”

The blown fibre – similar to that which carries superfast

broadband to homes and businesses across the UK – is

helping clear the path for other Mission System

installations.

Indeed, Andrew adds that the Mission System team is

now continuing to expand the hardware installation

across the forward sections of the ship. “The installation

of the ship’s camera system is well underway with the

main servers now in-situ as we set to work and connect

the cameras via the ship’s network.”

“The entire management

team is proud of the work

carried out by the

installation teams and this

demonstrates that the ship

is very quickly coming to

life.” Andrew Harris,

Mission System Platform

Manager.

This is an important part of the operability of the vessel,

with approximately 680 RN personnel monitoring and

maintaining more than 3,000 compartments, remote

systems with cameras and automation are a key design

feature of the Queen Elizabeth Class Carriers.

“The entire management team is proud of the work

carried out by the installation teams and this

demonstrates that the ship is very quickly coming to life. ”

concludes Andrew.

Elsewhere onboard, with first Diesel Generators (DG) set

to work due to commence next month, preparation

continues at pace, according to Mike Cox, Head of

Commissioning. “Diesel Generator Lube Oil embarkation

is now complete in the aft and forward tanks and the fuel

transfer system has been tested with fuel moved around

the double bottom diesel tanks.”

Other steps have been the set to work for the shaft

brakes and the fuel centrifuges, as Mike and his team

target May for the DGs to fire-up for the first time.

“There’s no doubt that there’s a lot to get through before

we can start the diesels but we’re working our way

through and we’re all confident that we’ll hit our target

date.”

Blown fibre installation allows Mission

Systems to complete vital commissioning

First Diesel Generators set to work is due to commence next month.

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The most iconic section of

the second Queen

Elizabeth Class

aircraft carrier has

set sail from

Glasgow on its first

sea voyage to

Rosyth.

Upper Block 07 is

where HMS Prince of

Wales will be commanded

atop the flight

deck and is known as the Forward Island. As the main hub

of the ship it contains the bridge and approximately 100

vital mission systems compartments.

Angus Holt, QEC Prince of Wales Delivery Director, said:

“The Forward Island is a remarkable feat of engineering

designed to command one of the UK’s largest ever

warships for more than half a century to come so the last

Commanding Officer who will take the helm is not even

born yet. I’d like to congratulate everyone involved in

building and delivering this iconic aircraft carrier section

ahead of schedule and to an incredibly high standard.”

HMS Prince of Wales sets sail for Rosyth

“I’d like to congratulate

everyone involved in

building and delivering this

iconic aircraft carrier

section ahead of schedule

and to an incredibly high

standard.” Angus Holt,

Prince of Wales Delivery

Director.

UB07 has commenced her nine day journey from Glasgow to

Rosyth.

Did you know…

The Queen Elizabeth Class are the first aircraft

carriers to use an innovative twin island design.

The second ‘Aft Island’ operates as an airport

control tower to co-ordinate aircraft movements,

but both islands are designed with the ability to

incorporate the other’s role in an emergency,

thus increasing the survivability of the ship.

Fun fact…

The Forward Island has deck-to-deck windows,

which are up to two metres tall to ensure a level

of visibility far beyond previous aircraft carriers

and are designed to withstand a significant

impact, such as a helicopter’s spinning rotor

blade.

The block left its dock hall in Govan for the first time on

Friday 24 April before being driven onto a barge using a

single remote control and 144 wheels beneath it.

The tug delivering the Forward Island blasted its horn

passing Ferguson Marine Engineering in Greenock as a

final farewell to Glasgow and a salute to shipbuilders along

the Clyde.

Due to inclement weather, the carrier team transporting

UB07 to Rosyth, cautiously decided to take an alternative

route south when it departed from Govan. This means the

Forward Island is travelling via the Irish Sea, Lands End

and the English Channel, before entering the Firth of Forth,

expecting to arrive in Rosyth on 3 May. You can follow the

journey by visiting www.marinetraffic.com and searching

for the tug, which is called Strathdon.

We are running an internal photography competition for

friends and family of ACA employees only. Top prize is a

VIP Rosyth Visitor Experience for the winner and one

guest, plus we’ve got QE Class branded goodies for the

runners up. Photographs must be emailed using the

subject ‘QE Class Prince of Wales Carrier Block UB07’ to

aircraftcarrieralliance@baesystems.com. Entries must be

received by 1000hrs on Tuesday, 5 May 2015. For more

information and terms and conditions see the 27 April

internal newsletter.

UB07 is expected to arrive in Rosyth on 3 May.

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What was your first role working

on the QEC programme?

This one! I only joined DE&S from

the Welsh Government in March

2015.

What did you do before you

joined the ACA?

After studying for my degree, I

moved to Glasgow to train to be a

journalist; I had a career in radio

journalism in the Bristol area before

I joined a housing company as a

Communications Officer. I then

moved to a marketing agency and

What are the key challenges in your role?

At the moment the challenge is to digest as much

information as possible, it is such an enormous

programme to get your head around. But I can see that it’ll

be a really challenging and interesting role.

What has been the highlight of working on the QEC

programme for you?

I went up to Rosyth to see HMS Queen Elizabeth in my

first couple of weeks and I was awestruck at the size of

the ship and what a privilege it is to be involved in such a

programme. My granddad and great-granddad were both

in the Royal Navy so I feel some sort of affiliation with the

work I am doing now. My other highlights have been just

how welcoming everyone has been.

Finally, tell us more about what you do in your spare

time?

I have a 14 month old at home who certainly keeps me on

my toes! I love spending time as a family; she’s so much

fun and is amazed by everything at the moment. I enjoy

pilates and swimming and enter a couple of 5k runs each

year, the next one is in July.

Laura Guppy,

QC Secretariat and

Communications Manager

finally joined the Civil Service in 2011. I worked at the

Welsh Government in Cardiff before moving to the MOD

this year. So I’ve done a few different things!

What does your current role involve?

It is really varied; my role is to oversee parliamentary

business relating to the QE Carrier Programme, such as

Parliamentary Questions, Ministerial Correspondence,

Treat Officials and Senior and Ministerial Briefings and

also Freedom of Information requests. As part of the wider

team I will be working with the secretariat on the Type 26

and OPV programmes.

I am heavily involved in the development of the approvals

and assurance plans and with the review processes.

I am also the focal point for external communications

about the carriers and liaise with other communications

officers across the organisation to ensure that our

message is consistent. I will be the working on the naming

ceremony of the HMS Prince of Wales as well, so I am

looking forward to sinking my teeth into that project.

Diesel Generator Flushing

on HMS Queen Elizabeth

The last four months has seen

the completion of an

extremely challenging

flushing programme

which came to an

end on 31 March to

agreed programme

dates. Flushing is a

key process in

preparing pipework

systems for Commissioning

by removing all industrial

arising’s and any corrosion that

may have occurred since installation/preservation.

The team involved included sub-contractors Q serve, HB

who were supported by the operations, commissioning and

engineering teams.

David Arthur, QEC Wholeship Integration Manager said “The

way the works were carried out and the success of these

activities provides an example of all parties working

collaboratively to achieve the end result. Indeed to meet the

programmed date Q serve chemically flushed 3 systems

concurrently. The chemical flushing process had risks

associated however these were carefully planned with risks

mitigated allowing activities to be carried out in safe and well

managed manner. This process included toolbox talks and

robust risk assessments.”

The picture below gives an example of before and after flush

operation within the fuel transfer system prior to being blown

back and dried.

The systems flushed were fuel, lube oil, diesel generator

fresh water cooling totalling circa 2500 pipes with a volume

of 150 tonnes. The completion of these activities have now

allowed the commissioning teams to fuel HMS Queen

Elizabeth and embark lube oil in preparation for diesel

generator commissioning planned to commence in May.

“The way the works were

carried out and the

success of these activities

provides an example of all

parties working

collaboratively to achieve

the end result.” David

Arthur, QEC Wholeship

Integration Manager

Before and after the flush operation

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HMS Prince of Wales build update

Glasgow

Lower Block 04

Behind lining scope SSSL are continuing to focus on the remaining voids,

tanks and sea chests to complete build scope, while

also taking an opportunity to spray paint the hull in

Govan.

The team are continuing to target the completion of

behind lining scope across the block, with the medical

area in 5M being submitted in stages as the team

work together to complete this scope.

LB04 making steady progress

Upper Block 07

Team meets milestone With the Forward Island setting sail from Glasgow

on Friday on its first sea voyage to Rosyth, it is an

opportunity to recognise the great work everyone

involved with the programme has done in order to

achieve this significant milestone.

Construction of the Forward Island began in

December 2013. It left its dock hall in Govan

before being driven onto a barge using a single

remote control and 144 wheels beneath it. The

Forward Island of the carrier was an impressive

sight as it sailed down the Clyde from Govan

towards Rosyth.

To view more pictures of the Forward Island

departure visit

www.flickr.com/photos/qeclasscarriers. .

Lower Block 05

Painting and insulation Painting on LB05 is continuing to make steady progress

with four compartments now sprayed and preparation

continuing into other areas. Insulation will start in the

coming weeks, working through the painted areas in the

lower deck levels.

Another area being progressed is the weatherproofing for

both Ring U and T.

Painting continues with steady progress

UB07 passes the BAE Systems Scotstoun site on her voyage to

Rosyth from Govan.

Upper Block 14

Cable basket commenced AI07 Lower has been lifted into place with work

underway to pull the unit into position. There have

been six compartments fully painted on one deck and

good progress continues with the pinning and

insulation off the back of these areas. Cable basket

has also started with progress already being made to

start in a second compartment.

UB14 cable basket starting

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HMS Prince of Wales build update continued

Merseyside

Central Block 07

Ring progress CHOI inspections are now complete within CB04 A

ring with outstanding observations being cleared

daily. CHOI inspections have commenced within

CB04 B ring with the first three compartments

inspected and achieved. CB04 C ring is now

structurally complete at berth. CB04 D ring three

deck units are erected at berth with two deck units in

manufacture at unit stage with the first two units now

erected at berth onto three deck.

Rosyth

VB block progress The VB blocks delivered to Roysth mid-April have

now been aligned for the joining operation prior to

lifting. On blocks VB003 and 004 the cutting of the

green material is now complete, with VB005 and

VB006 not far behind. The blocks have already

been marked up and the cutting is underway. The

Gun Sponson for SP02 FWD has also been

erected. Preparations are also underway for the

imminent arrival of the Forward Island, UB07.

LB01 completed its load in from the finishing its

journey from Appledore. The block has also been

transported to its holding area at the head of No.1

Dock awaiting final preparation ahead of its

scheduled lift date in June. The Catwalk installation

programme is progressing well with all catwalks

delivered to Rosyth having been lifted into their final

positions on the ship.

CHOI inspected compartment 2MY0

All catwalks and sponson delivered to Rosyth having been lifted

into their final positions

Load out of LB01 in Appledore before her journey to Rosyth

www.aircraftcarrieralliance.co.uk

www.flickr.com/photos/qeclasscarriers.

https://www.youtube.com/user/QEClassCarriers

https://twitter.com/QEClassCarriers

https://www.facebook.com/queenelizabethclasscarrier

Connect with us…

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Aim update – productivity improvements

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AIM April Mini Roadshow

April 2015 saw in the first anniversary of the

AIM Roadshows and it was therefore

considered an apt time to chart how far we

have come since April 2014.

The regular monthly roadshows usually provide

an update to the ACA community on the work

done in the previous month. This roadshow

however looked back at where the programme

was in April 2014 and the challenges the AIM

team were tasked with helping improve

demonstrating just how far we have come

together to improve the areas of planning,

change, supply chain and productivity. This was

well received by the good turnout of attendees

at both the on and off ship roadshows.

On Ship Off Ship

Paint Store improvements at J/K Berth

As part of the relentless drive for continuous

productivity improvement across the

programme, the AIM team have been looking at

ways of reducing the need to go off ship and

also reducing the duration of essential trips off

ships.

The painting teams in particular have the

requirement to go off ship and can be faced with

a lengthy walk to get paint refills and materials

on a regular basis.

AIM has been working with Babcock and the

SSSL team to develop an area behind K berth to

re-house the paint store and mixing areas and

we are happy to announce that this area is now

operational. A further management office will be

added which will assist the management and

control of the teams closer to the ship.

Hot-desks rollout continues…

By popular demand, hot desks have now

been made available in the aft end of HMS

Queen Elizabeth with a similar working area

having already been established mid-ship.

Hot desks have also been established mid-

ship on HMS Prince of Wales. Supervisors

will be able to work alongside engineering

liaison and representatives from the planning

and material control departments as part of

the information hub development on this

ship.

Hot desks have been proven to be very

useful as they allow supervisors to remain on

the ship and therefore be closer to their

teams whilst still being able to carry out other

aspects of their job that previously required

periods of time off ship.

AIM Quarterly Engagement Survey

The second quarter AIM Engagement Survey

commenced in the last two weeks of April.

This survey helps the AIM team understand

how engaged the ACA workforce are in relation

to the AIM programme and furthermore help

shape future engagement based on feedback.

The responses on the survey have increased

quarter on quarter since the first survey in April

2014. Awareness of the AIM programme and

its objective increased from 22% to 78% and

positive responses are up from 25% to 62%.