Navy's largest ever ship HMS Queen Elizabeth sets sail for the first time

HMS Queen Elizabeth will be the new Navy flagship. Credit: PA

A record-breaking warship set to be the largest and most powerful ever commanded by the British Navy has set sail for the first time.

The 65,000-tonne HMS Queen Elizabeth had her maiden launch from Rosyth on the Firth of Forth.

The 280-metre ship cost billions of pounds and will take on the role of Britain's flagship in the Royal Navy.

  • A sped up video shows HMS Queen Elizabeth leaving port

She took to sea with a crew of 700 - though the ship holds operates at a capacity of 1,600 when a full complement of F-35B jets and Crowsnest helicopters are on board.

The ship's commander, Captain Jerry Kyd, said despite her huge size HMS Queen Elizabeth would be an "incredibly flexible tool" showing the scale of British ambition to act as a leading world player.

In figures showing the scale of the new vessel, its length is the equivalent of 5.4 Nelson's Columns.

Its flight deck is 280 metres long and 70 metres wide - enough space for three football pitches.

When at sea, the vessel will carry enough food to supply the crew for 45 days - and everyone on board can be served a meal within 45 minutes.

Whilst it is a record breaker, in one respect the ship is very much within tradition, as it is the second in the Royal Navy to be named Queen Elizabeth

The crew wave as the ship leaves port. Credit: PA

The crew faced an initial challenge as they left port on Monday at high tide, as there was just 50cm between the bottom of the ship and the seabed in the port.

During her estimated 50-year working life, HMS Queen Elizabeth could be pressed into action for various work such as high intensity war fighting or providing humanitarian aid and disaster relief anywhere in the world.