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UK carrier strike capability reaches IOC milestone

4th January 2021 - 17:15 GMT | by Richard Thomas in London

RSS

UK hits the ground running in 2021 with the declaration that HMS Queen Elizabeth and its carrier strike group have reached initial operating capability.

Having managed to negotiate 2020’s twin challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing Integrated Review relatively unscathed, the UK RN has emerged into the New Year with a bang with the announcement that the Queen Elizabeth carrier strike group (CSG) has reached initial operating capability (IOC).

This milestone means that all elements of the group from the fighter jet, to radar systems, anti-ship weapons and more have been brought together and successfully operated. A statement released by the MoD on 4 January said that IOC had been reached on schedule following the earlier successes of Exercise Joint Warrior in Q3

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