Written Question·Ministry of Defence·UIN 114693

HMS Queen Elizabeth: Military Aircraft

Tabled: 20 February 2026

Answered: 27 February 2026

Question

James MacCleary

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the maximum operating weight of a fixed-wing aircraft that can be launched and recovered from a Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carrier without the use of Assisted Launch and Recovery Equipment.

Answer

Luke Pollard

The Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers are configured to operate Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing aircraft and helicopters and do not have catapults or arrestor gear for conventional fixed-wing operations. The fixed-wing aircraft operated is the F...

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