Narrator: HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH, THE BIGGEST WARSHIP EVER BUILT
FOR THE UNITED KINGDOM. LONGER THAN
THREE FOOTBALL FIELDS AND STANDING TALLER
THAN NIAGARA FALLS. IT'S TAKEN 10,000 WORKERS
EIGHT YEARS TO BUILD BRITAIN'S
FIRST SUPERCARRIER. Man: PUTTING THE GREAT
BACK INTO GREAT BRITAIN. WHAT A WONDERFUL THING
TO BE PART OF. Narrator: BUT AS THIS
GARGANTUAN CARRIER TAKES SHAPE AND PREPARES FOR SEA, THERE IS ONE
VITAL MISSING INGREDIENT. Man: THE SHIP
IS JUST A METAL BOX. IT'S ONLY WHEN YOU ADD IN
THE HUMAN COMPONENT OF BLOOD AND FLESH DOES IT BECOME A WARSHIP. Narrator: THIS IS
THE EXTRAORDINARY STORY OF THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO MUST BREATHE LIFE
INTO THE SUPERCARRIER. [OFFICER SHOUTING COMMAND] Narrator:
HOW WILL THESE NAVAL PIONEERS TRANSFORM HER FROM
FLOATING BUILDING SITE TO FRONT-LINE SHIP OF WAR? FROM GALLEYS TO GUNS? AND FROM POWER PLANTS
TO PROPELLERS? IT WON'T BE CLEAR SAILING. [ALARM SOUNDS] Man over loudspeaker:
FIRE, FIRE, FIRE. [BOOM] FLOOD, FLOOD, FLOOD
IN EIGHT-ROMEO. Man: CASUALTY,
CASUALTY, CASUALTY! Narrator: WITH EXCLUSIVE ACCESS
OVER TWO YEARS, NOTHING IS HIDDEN
FROM THE CAMERA AS THE SHIP AND HER SAILORS ARE
PUSHED TO THE BREAKING POINT. Man: IF ANYONE
THINKS IT'S EASY, THEN THEY'RE...
THEY'RE FOOLING THEMSELVES. THIS IS TOUGH STUFF. Narrator:
THIS IS THE INSIDE STORY OF BRITAIN'S FIRST SUPERCARRIER. ♪ MAY 24, 2016. HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH
IS STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN ROSYTH DOCKYARD
IN SCOTLAND. THE SHIPBUILDERS
ARE WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK TO GET THE SUPERCARRIER READY FOR HER CRITICAL SEA TRIALS
IN ABOUT NINE MONTHS. MANY OF THE SAILORS
WHO WILL BE CREWING HER HAVE ALREADY ARRIVED. AND TODAY, ONE MORE SAILOR WILL ADD TO
THEIR GROWING NUMBERS. BUT NO ORDINARY SAILOR. Man: COMMANDING OFFICER
APPROACHING, SIR! ♪ Narrator: 49-YEAR-OLD JERRY KYD COMMANDED BRITAIN'S
LAST AIRCRAFT CARRIERS, HMS ILLUSTRIOUS AND ARK ROYAL. Man: RIGHT! HALT! Narrator: BUT THEY WERE
A THIRD OF THE SIZE OF QUEEN ELIZABETH, THE SHIP THAT CAPTAIN KYD WILL
TAKE TO SEA FOR THE FIRST TIME. Jerry Kyd: RIGHT. WELL, GOOD MORNING,
HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH. I'M NOT SURE, GUYS, THERE HAS BEEN
A PEACETIME ROYAL NAVAL CREW WITH AS MUCH EXPECTATION
AND AS MUCH EXCITEMENT THAT CURRENTLY RESTS
ON OUR SHOULDERS PROBABLY IN THE LAST COUPLE
OF HUNDRED YEARS. THE WORLD AT THE MOMENT
IS PRETTY FRISKY. THERE IS LOTS AND LOTS
OF TURBULENCE, SECURITY THREATS EVERYWHERE. AND SO THEREFORE
IT IS OUR MISSION TO GET QUEEN ELIZABETH
IN THE FRONT LINE AS SOON AS WE CAN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH INDEED. Narrator:
STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION, THE SHIP IS MOSTLY
OUT OF BOUNDS TO SAILORS, BUT EVERY NEW ARRIVAL,
INCLUDING THE CAPTAIN, GETS A SHORT TOUR. Kyd: IT'S STARTING
TO COME TOGETHER. YOU CAN START SEEING
THE FABRIC OF THE SHIP NOW BEING FINISHED OFF. Narrator:
MANY OF THE NEW ARRIVALS ARE SO-CALLED "BABY SAILORS,"
FRESH OUT OF TRAINING. Man: JUST FORM A SEMI-CIRCLE
ROUND HERE, THEN, TEAM. WE'VE GOT A RARE TREAT TODAY. IF YOU LOOK UP ON THE MASTS
AS YOU WALK DOWN, ON THE AFTER MAST YOU HAVE
OUR MEDIUM-RANGE RADAR, WHICH IS TURNING
AND BURNING AT THE MOMENT. EVERYBODY HAPPY? GOGGLES UP THEN, TEAM.
GOGGLES UP. Narrator: WHETHER THESE SAILORS
SERVE FOR TWO YEARS OR TWENTY, MUCH OF THEIR CAREER
COULD BE SPENT ON THE SHIP THEY'RE SEEING
FOR THE FIRST TIME TODAY. THE QUEEN ELIZABETH WILL BE
IN SERVICE FOR 50 YEARS, MEANING HER FINAL CAPTAIN
HAS NOT YET BEEN BORN. Kyd: ALRIGHT,
KEEP GOING, YEAH? Man: SO, JUST TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO JUST HAVE A LOOK
AT THE SIZE OF YOUR PLATFORM THAT YOU'RE GONNA SPEND
MOST OF YOUR CAREER ON. JUST HAVE A LOOK AT WHAT
YOU'RE GONNA BE PART OF. Interviewer: WHAT DO YOU THINK? Woman: I DON'T REALLY KNOW
WHAT TO THINK, TO BE HONEST. Man: IT'S REALLY HUGE, ISN'T IT? Man: YEAH, IT'S MASSIVE. Interviewer:
YOU LOOK LIKE YOU'RE IN SHOCK. Woman: I AM A BIT. Kyd: I'M SORRY IF WE'RE
GETTING IN YOUR WAY NOW. THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE
A BED OF ROSES. IT'S AN ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY
THAT THINGS WON'T GO AS PLANNED. IF YOU WERE BUILDING A NEW CAR, OR A NEW JET LINER, OR A NEW MOBILE PHONE, UH, YOU WOULD HAVE
HUNDREDS OF PROTOTYPES, EACH ONE GETTING BETTER AND
BETTER AND BETTER AND BETTER UNTIL FINALLY
THE PRODUCT'S ACCEPTED. YOU GO, "THAT'S THE ONE.
IT'S NOW FAULTLESS, IT WORKS." AND THEN YOU MASS-PRODUCE IT
AND SELL IT TO THE CUSTOMER. AH. WE DON'T DO THAT WITH SHIPS. IT'S JUST TOO EXPENSIVE. SO, THIS SHIP
IS FIRST OF A KIND. IT'S THE PROTOTYPE
AND THE FINISHED PRODUCT AND THE ONE THAT'S GONNA
GO AROUND THE WORLD FOR FIVE DECADES, ALL AT ONCE. Interviewer:
NO PRESSURE, THEN. Kyd: THERE'S NEVER
ANY PRESSURE IN THE NAVY. Man: JUST WATCH YOUR FOOTING AS YOU'RE COMING UP
THE STEPS, TEAM. IT IS A BUILDING SITE, THERE IS LOADS OF TRIP HAZARDS. RIGHT, WELCOME ABOARD
HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH, THE BIGGEST PROJECT THE NAVY
HAS EVER BEEN INVOLVED IN, THE BIGGEST SHIP
THE NAVY HAS EVER BUILT. Narrator: THE QUEEN ELIZABETH
IS SPLIT INTO 17 DECKS-- EIGHT ABOVE THE FLIGHT DECK
AND NINE BELOW. SHE HAS FIVE MILES
OF PASSAGEWAYS AND OVER 3,000 COMPARTMENTS. Man: THIS IS
THE OPERATIONS ROOM. EVERYTHING ON THIS SHIP
REVOLVES AROUND THIS ROOM. FULLY INTEGRATED COMMAND SYSTEM
INTO WEAPON SYSTEMS, AND IT'S
AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL AS WELL. THIS HANGAR SHOULD BE ABLE
TO HOLD 22 F-35 AIRCRAFT. JUST DRESS IN THERE, TEAM. ALL THE OTHER CABINS
FOR JUNIOR RATES ARE EXACTLY THE SAME. THEY HAVE GOT
EIGHT BEDS IN THEM, BUT THEY'RE ONLY HELD
FOR SIX MEMBERS, SO YOU CAN FLIP
ONE OF THE BEDS UP AS A SOFA. LOADS OF ROOM FOR STOWAGE. IT IS A HUGE AMOUNT COMPARED TO
ANY OTHER SHIP WITHIN THE FLEET. HAPPY DAYS. Narrator: HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH HAS BEEN BUILT BY A CONSORTIUM
OF BRITISH ENGINEERING COMPANIES KNOWN AS THE AIRCRAFT
CARRIER ALLIANCE. THE BIG DIFFERENCE
WITH THIS CARRIER IS NOT SO MUCH HER TECHNOLOGY, BUT THE WAY SHE'LL BE MANNED. AN AMERICAN CARRIER
OF A SIMILAR SIZE NEEDS 3,000 SAILORS. THE QUEEN ELIZABETH
WILL NEED LESS THAN 700. CALLED LEAN-MANNING, THIS IS A REVOLUTIONARY CONCEPT
IN THE WORLD OF WARSHIPS. Jon Pearson: AND THIS IS
THE SHIP CONTROL CENTER, SO HIGHLY AUTOMATED. THE WAY WE DESCRIBE THIS IS THIS CONTROLS EVERYTHING
FROM POWER TO POO. SO, ALL THE SHIP'S MACHINERY,
FROM PROPULSION, VENTILATION, ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION,
STEERING, IS ALL CONTROLLED FROM HERE. IN A NORMAL CRUISING STATE, THE MACHINERY FOR THE SHIP WILL
BE OPERATED BY JUST SIX GUYS. Interviewer: SIX? IS THAT IT? Narrator: LEAN-MANNING
IS NOT JUST ABOUT EFFICIENCY. IT'S ALSO ABOUT SAVING MONEY
FOR A TIGHT DEFENSE BUDGET. Pearson:
ONE OF THE INNOVATIONS WE'VE GOT TO KEEP THE MANPOWER COSTS DOWN IS THE HIGHLY MECHANIZED
WEAPON HANDLING SYSTEM, A SYSTEM VERY SIMILAR
TO AN AMAZON WAREHOUSE. MOST OF THAT AMMUNITION
IS STORED IN MAGAZINES THAT ARE RIGHT DOWN
IN THE BOWELS OF THE SHIP, AND TRADITIONALLY
THAT WOULD BE MAN-HANDLED WITH TROLLEYS FROM THOSE
MAGAZINES TO THE FLIGHT DECK. ON THIS SHIP, THE SHIP'S CREW
CAN PRESS A BUTTON, SELECT A WEAPON, AND IT'S AUTOMATICALLY TRANSPORTED UP FROM
THE DEEP MAGAZINE ON LIFTS. SO, THE WHOLE OPERATION IS ABOUT
30 OR 40 GUYS CAN DO THAT, WHERE AN AMERICAN CARRIER
TO DO THE SAME OPERATION IS ABOUT TEN TIMES
AS MANY PEOPLE. Narrator: FOR THE SAILORS
YET TO MOVE ON BOARD, THE SHIP IS VERY MUCH
A WORK IN PROGRESS. NAVIGATING AROUND IT
REMAINS A BIT OF A MYSTERY. Woman: CAN WE GET THROUGH
TO FIVE-UNIFORM THIS WAY? Interviewer: STEVE, DO YOU
KNOW YOUR WAY AROUND NOW? Steve Prest: YEAH, PRETTY MUCH.
I'M GETTING THERE. IT'S A BIG SHIP TO LEARN. AND IT'S ALSO... IT'S ALSO, UM,
A BIT LIKE HOGWARTS BECAUSE AS THINGS GET BUILT AND AS WORK'S DONE ON BOARD, THE ROUTES YOU CAN TAKE
KEEP CHANGING. SO, IT'S ALMOST LIKE
THE STAIRCASES KEEP MOVING ALL THE TIME. ♪ Woman: WAIT. I'M LOST. Prest: IT'S BLOCKED OFF. SEE, I TOLD YOU,
IT'S LIKE HARRY POTTER. IT'S LIKE HOGWARTS. CAN'T GO THAT WAY TODAY. WE'LL GO AROUND THIS WAY. ♪ Narrator: MOST OF THE TIME, THE SAILORS ARE NOT
ON THE SHIP AT ALL, BUT LIVING HERE, IN TEMPORARY CONTAINER HOMES
JUST OUTSIDE THE DOCKYARD. AND THEY REPORT FOR WORK
EVERY DAY TO THIS NON-DESCRIPT OFFICE
ON THE QUAYSIDE, WHERE THEY JUST PRETEND
THEY'RE AFLOAT, FROM THE LOWEST RANKING
TO THE CAPTAIN, JERRY KYD. Kyd: FOR THE MOMENT
THIS IS A STONE FRIGATE, AND THIS IS WHY WE'RE SO KEEN
TO GET ON BOARD. ONLY THEN CAN YOU REALLY START
GETTING A BOND WITH A SHIP IS WHEN YOU MOVE ON BOARD,
LIVE ON BOARD, EAT ON BOARD. THE PRIMARY AIM NOW FOR ME
IS LET'S JUST GET ON BOARD, BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN YOU GET
THAT EMOTIONAL BOND. Narrator: THE ONLY THINGS
GETTING ON BOARD AT THE MOMENT ARE SUPPLIES-- EVERYTHING FROM BAKED BEANS
TO BULLETS. Fiona Percival: THERE ARE
THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF ITEMS TO GO ON BOARD THAT SHIP. IN THAT CORNER THERE,
THERE ARE THE MEDICAL SUPPLIES. AND OVER HERE NOW, THIS IS ALL PART OF
THE FIREFIGHTING AND DAMAGE CONTROL EQUIPMENT. AND EVERYTHING WE PUT ON BOARD
HAS TO BE WEIGHED BECAUSE THE NAVAL ARCHITECT
NEEDS TO KNOW HOW MUCH WEIGHT
IS COMING ON BOARD TO UNDERSTAND
WHERE THE WEIGHT IS DISTRIBUTED IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE SHIP
CAN MANEUVER AND HANDLE. IT'S AMAZING
HOW MUCH STUFF YOU NEED. Interviewer: YOU DON'T WANNA BE
GOING TO SEA AND THEN FINDING-- Percival:
YOU'VE FORGOTTEN SOMETHING? Interviewer: YOU LEFT
THE BOTTLE OPENER AT HOME. Percival: YOU BETTER NOT HAVE
LEFT THE BOTTLE OPENER AT HOME. YOU HAVE TO HAVE A SHOT
OF THE TOILET ROLLS. THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT
COMMODITY WE HAVE ON BOARD. EVERYTHING ELSE CAN RUN OUT,
BUT NOT THE TOILET ROLLS. Narrator: THE SHIP
ISN'T JUST BEING STOCKED UP, SHE'S BEING POWERED UP AS WELL. THERE ARE SIX ENGINES-- TWO GAS TURBINES
AND FOUR DIESELS. Bruce Milne:
WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW, WE TURN THE ENGINE,
PUSHING AIR ONTO THE PISTONS, UM, JUST TO PROVE IT WORKS. THIS IS ALL PART
OF THE PRE-START CHECKS. [AIR HISSING] Man: GOOD TO GO
FOR THE MAIN ENGINE. SO, AS IN GOOD NAVAL TRADITION, HAVE THEM ALL STAND CLEAR
OF INTAKES AND EXHAUST, ABOUT TO START HMS
QUEEN ELIZABETH'S MAIN ENGINE. PRESS THE BUTTON. Man: READY! [KNOCKING] [WHIRRING] Prest: OH!
DIESEL WAS JUST STARTING UP. THAT IN ITSELF
IS QUITE EXCITING, JUST TO... YOU KNOW, YOU CAN ALMOST FEEL
THE VIBRATION THROUGH THE DECK. THAT'LL BE
THE HEARTBEAT OF THE SHIP FOR THE NEXT 50 YEARS. Narrator:
ON CONVENTIONAL WARSHIPS, ENGINES DRIVE
THE PROPELLER SHAFTS DIRECTLY. BUT ON THE QUEEN ELIZABETH, THE ENGINES GENERATE POWER
FOR THE ENTIRE SHIP. WHAT'S NEEDED FOR PROPULSION IS SIPHONED OFF
BY HIGH VOLTAGE OR HV CABLES CARRYING 11,000 VOLTS. BUT THIS PRESENTS
A BRAND-NEW HAZARD IN THE EVENT OF A FLOOD OR FIRE BECAUSE,
ALTHOUGH HEAVILY INSULATED, LARGE-SCALE
TRANSMISSION LINES LIKE THESE STILL HAVE AN ELECTRICAL FIELD
AROUND THEM. Milne: WE'VE GOT
THE HV COMPARTMENTS, AND IF YOU START
THROWING WATER ROUND IN THERE, POTENTIALLY 11,000 VOLTS, THERE'S NOT GONNA BE
A LOT OF YOU LEFT IF YOU GET ELECTROCUTED. SO, PEOPLE HAVE TO
CHANGE THEIR MINDSET, ESPECIALLY
THE OLDER SAILORS OF US THAT HAVE COME
FROM TRADITIONAL SHIPS, THAT YOU HAVEN'T HAD
AN HV ELEMENT. YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE AN AWARENESS. YOU CAN'T JUST COME IN HERE
AND BE BLASÉ ABOUT IT 'CAUSE IT WILL KILL YOU. Narrator: THE MOST IMPORTANT
PART OF ANY AIRCRAFT CARRIER IS ALSO THE MOST DANGEROUS-- THE FLIGHT DECK. Man: WHOA! Narrator: A FLOATING AIRFIELD
FOR WARPLANES LOADED WITH FUEL,
BOMBS, AND MISSILES. THE RISKS ARE ENORMOUS. Man: READY TO TAXI. Narrator: COMPUTER SIMULATION HELPS THE AIR CREW
PLAN FOR THE WORST. Man: LAUNCH THE JET. Man: WHOA. [LAUGHTER] Mark Deller:
MARITIME AVIATION AT ITS BEST. OPERATING AT SEA
IS NOT ROCKET SCIENCE, BUT OPERATING AT SEA
IS BLOODY DANGEROUS. YOU KNOW, THERE'S
A WHOLE OF LOAD PEOPLE WHO'VE GONE BEFORE US WHO HAVE LEARNED THE HARD WAY
AS TO WHY YOU DO CERTAIN THINGS. I'D BE A BLOODY FOOL TO IGNORE
WHAT OUR FOREFATHERS DID. THAT'S NICE. THERE YOU GO. LOOK AT THAT.
WE'VE SOLVED THE PROBLEM. IT'S PROBABLY WORTH JUST
EXPLAINING ABOUT AN AIRFIELD. AN AIRFIELD HAS
A 10,000-FOOT RUNWAY, OK? AND WE KNOW WHAT'S
GONNA HAPPEN ON THE RUNWAY. THAT'S WHERE THE JETS ARE GONNA
BE TAKING OFF AND LANDING. SO, AT THE SAME TIME
ON THAT AIRFIELD, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO
HAVE A BOMB DUMP, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE
A FUEL DUMP, YOU'RE GONNA
HAVE TO HAVE SOMEWHERE WHERE YOU'RE GONNA
HOUSE EVERYONE, AND THERE'LL BE AN HQ SECTION. BUT ALL OF THOSE,
IN A 2,000-ACRE ESTATE, ARE SPREAD OUT. YOU KEEP THE BOMBS AWAY
FROM THE RUNWAY, YOU KEEP THE FUEL
AWAY FROM THE RUNWAY, YOU KEEP THE FUEL AWAY
FROM THE ACCOMMODATION. OUR SHIP, WHICH ALTHOUGH THE BIGGEST THING
THE NAVY'S EVER BUILT, COMPARED TO
THIS 10,000-FOOT RUNWAY, OUR SHIP IS THERE. WE'VE GOT A METAL BOX. IN THERE THERE'LL BE A MAGAZINE,
THERE'LL BE THE FUEL. AND IF YOU THINK
OF THE FLIGHT DECK AREA AND ALL THE ARMED AIRCRAFT
UP THERE THAT ARE BOTH OPERATING,
REARMING, REFUELING... THERE'S A LOT OF POTENTIAL RISKS
THAT WE HAVE TO MANAGE. Narrator: HISTORY SHOWS
THE MAGNITUDE OF THE RISK. IN 1967 ON THE USS FORRESTAL, AN ELECTRICAL FAULT LED TO THE DISCHARGE
OF A MISSILE ON DECK, SETTING OFF A CHAIN OF EVENTS
THAT QUICKLY GOT OUT OF CONTROL. Deller: IN THAT SCENARIO,
IT WAS ALL ABOUT TIME. IT WAS ALL ABOUT HOW QUICKLY
COULD THEY CONTAIN IT. THESE ARE AIRCRAFT HANDLERS
THAT ARE NOW MOVING IN TO TRY AND RESCUE THE AIR CREW. WHAT STARTED
AS A SINGLE INCIDENT SUDDENLY BECAME
A CUMULATIVE INCIDENT, AND ROCKET INTO
AN ARMED AIRCRAFT THEN BECAME A FIRE, THEN BECAME A FUEL FIRE, THEN CREATED THE HEAT
TO COOK OFF THE LIVE ORDNANCE THAT WAS SITTING ON
THOSE ARMED AIRCRAFT, THAT THEN CREATED
A GREATER EXPLOSION WHICH THEN MEANT
MORE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED. THEY ALMOST LOST THE SHIP. THEY DID CONTROL IT IN THE END, BUT THEY LOST
A HELL OF A LOT OF LIVES. Narrator: 134 AMERICAN SAILORS
PERISHED THAT DAY. HANDLING AIRCRAFT
ON A FLIGHT DECK IS POTENTIALLY ONE OF THE MOST
DANGEROUS JOBS IN THE WORLD. IT REQUIRES SKILL,
GREAT COURAGE, AND INTENSIVE TRAINING. [RADIO CHATTER] Narrator: WITHOUT THEIR
OWN FLIGHT DECK TO TRAIN ON, THE QUEEN ELIZABETH
AIRCRAFT HANDLERS ARE PRACTICING
ON A DUMMY DECK ASHORE. IT'S ONLY A THIRD THE SIZE
OF THEIR OWN, AND THE OLD DECOMMISSIONED
HARRIER JETS CAN'T EVEN FLY, BUT THINGS ARE MOVING FORWARD. Deller: THERE WILL BE THINGS
WE'RE GETTING WRONG, BUT THEY'RE ULTIMATELY... UM, THIS IS OUR PRACTICE. WHEN WE DO IT
ON THE DECK FOR REAL, WITH THE SHIP MANEUVERING, WITH A BIT MORE
SORT OF OPERATIONAL PRESSURE, WE CAN'T AFFORD TO GET IT WRONG. SO, WE'LL GET ALL OUR MISTAKES
OUT OF THE WAY HERE, AND THEN WHEN
THE REAL JETS TURN UP, WE'LL BE IN A BETTER PLACE. Narrator: THE REAL JETS WILL BE TOP SECRET F-35B
LIGHTNING STEALTH FIGHTERS. THESE ARE STILL IN DEVELOPMENT
AND KEPT STRICTLY UNDER WRAPS, SO NONE OF THE DECK HANDLERS
HAVE EVER SEEN ONE, MUCH LESS HANDLED ONE. Man: GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY. I'M JUST GONNA GIVE YOU
A LITTLE BIT ON THE FIXED WING REPLICA
OF AN F-35B. LIFE SIZE, IT'S TO SCALE. Narrator:
SO, NOT AN ACTUAL F-35, BUT A LIFE-SIZED
FIBERGLASS MODEL. EVENTUALLY THEIR JOB WILL BE TO
MANEUVER THESE AROUND THE DECK AND GUIDE THE PILOTS
INTO POSITION. THIS WILL GIVE THEM A FEEL
FOR THE REAL THING. Man: COMPARED TO A HARRIER,
DIDN'T REALIZE HOW BIG IT WAS. Woman: MASSIVE. Narrator: 29-YEAR-OLD
EMMA RANSON FROM LIVERPOOL, NEWLY PROMOTED TO PETTY OFFICER, WILL BE THE FIRST
FLIGHT DECK LEADER ON THE QUEEN ELIZABETH, SO THIS FULL-SIZED REPLICA IS
A GLIMPSE INTO HER OWN FUTURE. Emma Ranson: AMAZING. I MEAN, WHAT CAN YOU
SAY ABOUT IT? JUST AMAZING. IT'S JUST GONNA HELP
OUR TRAINING OUT LOADS. IT'S JUST GONNA REALLY
BENEFIT US AS AIRCRAFT HANDLERS, MOVING THIS AROUND THE DECK. JUST UNBELIEVABLE. I'M DEAD EXCITED NOW. I CAN'T WAIT
JUST TO GET IT MOVING. Man: GET SET! Narrator:
SO, EMMA, WITH HER NEW TOY, NOW HAS A MUCH MORE
REALISTIC WAY OF TRAINING HER TEAM. ♪ OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, THE FOCUS IS ALL ABOUT
PROVING THE SHIP'S SAFETY. EMERGENCY ESCAPE ROUTES
MUST BE PUT TO THE TEST. Bob Hawkins: EXTRAORDINARILY
IMPORTANT EVENT TODAY. THE FIRST TIME THAT
THE ULTIMATE RESCUE SYSTEM, SHOULD THE SHIP BE SINKING
AFTER ACTION DAMAGE, UH, AND GOD FORBID THAT THE ORDER IS GIVEN
TO ABANDON SHIP, IT IS THIS
MARINE EVACUATION SYSTEM THAT'S GONNA SEE OUR SAILORS
SAFELY DOWN THE CHUTES INTO THE LIFE RAFT. Man: OPERATE THE MES! Narrator: IT'S ESSENTIAL THAT
THIS MASS EVACUATION SYSTEM IS PROVEN BEYOND DOUBT BEFORE THE QUEEN ELIZABETH
CAN SET SAIL. Man: THAT WAS QUICK.
SAW HOW QUICK IT GOES? Hawkins: YEAH. Narrator: THERE ARE
THREE EMERGENCY CHUTES ON EITHER SIDE OF THE SHIP. EACH ONE CAN BE FULLY DEPLOYED
IN 60 SECONDS. AND EVERY LIFE RAFT
CAN TAKE 100 SAILORS. [LAUGHING] Man: ROGER. HAPPY. Interviewer:
HAPPY WITH THAT, BOB? Hawkins:
EXTRAORDINARILY HAPPY, YES. I MEAN, ONE OF THE FIRST ACTIVE
THINGS THAT THIS SHIP HAS DONE. Narrator:
BY THE END OF OCTOBER 2016, ALTHOUGH NOT ON BOARD YET, EVERYONE'S
IN AN OPTIMISTIC MOOD. THE SEA TRIALS
TO TEST THE SHIP IN OPEN WATER ARE JUST OVER FOUR MONTHS AWAY, IN MARCH 2017. BUT GETTING THE SHIP TO SEA ISN'T GOING TO BE
STRAIGHTFORWARD. FOR ONE THING,
SHE'S 30 FEET TALLER THAN THE BRIDGES
SHE'LL HAVE TO SAIL UNDER. Prest: IF YOU CAN SEE
ON THE AFT ISLAND, THERE'S A TALL THIN MAST, WHICH IS THE POLE MAST, AND THAT'S THE HIGHEST POINT
ON THE SHIP. AND IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY
AT ITS BASE, YOU'LL SEE
TWO SMALL SHINY CYLINDERS. THAT'S ACTUALLY THE HINGE. IT'S ON A HYDRAULIC SYSTEM. AND IT FOLDS FORWARD
AND SITS IN A LITTLE CRADLE. AND THAT'LL GIVE US
THE CLEARANCE TO GET OUT UNDER THOSE BRIDGES, AND EVEN THEN, THE CLEARANCE
IS GONNA BE PRETTY TIGHT. THERE'S NOT A LOT OF SPACE. Kyd: OF COURSE WE WON'T KNOW
UNTIL WE GET HER OUT. THAT'S THE THING. Narrator: CAPTAIN JERRY KYD
WANTS TO SEE FOR HIMSELF. Kyd: SO, THE MAST WILL GO
STRAIGHT UNDER THESE... STRAIGHT UNDER
THAT BLUE THING THERE. WE'LL PUT THE WHEEL ON NOW, SO IT'S ONE CONTINUOUS
SLOW TURN. IT'S A BIT LIKE WHEN YOU DRIVE
YOUR CAR INTO A CAR PARK WITH THAT BAR. IT IS EXACTLY
THE SAME FEELING IN A SHIP 'CAUSE THE...
YOU LOOK AT THE BRIDGE, YOU THINK TO YOURSELF,
WE'RE GONNA HIT THE BRIDGE. IT JUST LOOKS REALLY ODD. AND OF COURSE, EVERYONE CROUCHES
AS YOU GO UNDERNEATH. YOU'VE DONE THE CALCULATIONS,
YOU ABSOLUTELY KNOW, BUT DO YOU KNOW WHAT? AS YOU APPROACH IT, YOU JUST CAN'T HELP
BUT THINK TO YOURSELF, YOU KNOW...
I HOPE WE'RE RIGHT. WELL, OUR WIND LIMITS
ARE GONNA BE...50 KNOTS. SO, WIND'S GONNA BE
THE DOMINATING FACTOR. Hawkins: HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH
SHIP'S COMPANY, HALT! Narrator: IT'S DECEMBER 2016, AND THE SEA TRIALS
ARE DRAWING NEAR. Hawkins: HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH
SHIP'S COMPANY MUSTERED FOR
YOUR CLEAR LOWER DECK, SIR. Kyd: THANKS, NUMBER ONE. Narrator: THE TARGET DATE
FOR DEPARTURE, MARCH 10, IS IN LESS THAN TWO MONTHS. EVERYONE'S LOOKING FORWARD
TO THE BIG DAY. IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING. BUT JUST BEFORE CHRISTMAS LEAVE, THE CAPTAIN
CALLS EVERYONE ON BOARD. Kyd: 2017 FOR US, GUYS, IS ALL ABOUT GETTING THIS SHIP
TO SEA AND OFF SHORE. BUT I DO THINK IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR ME TO STAND UP HERE
IN FRONT OF YOU ALL, LOOK AT YOU ALL
IN THE FACES AND IN THE EYES, AND TELL YOU RIGHT NOW WE'RE NOT GONNA BE SAILING
ON THE 10th OF MARCH. I CAN FULLY UNDERSTAND
THE FRUSTRATION, TRUST ME. IT'S FRUSTRATING FOR ME, TOO. THE LAST THING AS A SEA CAPTAIN
I WANT TO BE DOING IS SITTING IN ROSYTH
ALONGSIDE THE WALL. I DON'T KNOW
WHEN WE'RE GOING TO GO. THIS SHIP HAS GOT A WHOLE BUNCH
OF NEW SYSTEMS, BOTH TO DETECT FIRE AND SMOKE, BUT THEN ALSO
TO SMASH A FIRE DOWN. AT THE MOMENT, WE'RE NOT
AS MATURE IN SOME AREAS AS WE WOULD WISH. YOU KNOW,
I LOOK AT MY YOUNG SAILORS, SOME OF WHO ARE
17, 18 YEARS OLD, AND I'VE GOT A 17-YEAR-OLD SON. AND MY BENCHMARK, MY LITMUS FOR ME
AS THE CAPTAIN OF THE SHIP IS, WOULD I PUT MY 17-YEAR-OLD SON
IN THAT BUNK SPACE, OR WOULD I PUT HIM
IN THAT SITUATION? UM, IF THE ANSWER'S NO, THEN I'M CERTAINLY NOT GONNA
DO IT WITH MY SHIP'S COMPANY. CHRISTMAS, GUYS. ENJOY IT. I'LL SEE YOU AGAIN
IN THE NEW YEAR. SO BE READY TO COME BACK. NEXT YEAR,
WE DO INDEED MAKE HISTORY. DON'T FORGET THAT. ♪ Hawkins: SO, HAVE YOU WORKED OUT WHERE YOU'RE GONNA
PUT THE BOARDS? GET SOME OF THAT BUBBLE WRAP. Narrator: IT'S THE FIRST DAY
BACK AFTER CHRISTMAS. NO DATE YET FOR SEA TRIALS, BUT ONE THING HAS CHANGED-- THE SAILORS ARE TOLD TO BYPASS
THEIR OLD OFFICE BLOCK AND REPORT TO THE SHIP. THEY WON'T BE
SLEEPING ON BOARD YET, BUT FROM NOW ON, THIS IS WHERE
THEY'LL BE WORKING EVERY DAY. Hawkins: ASHORE. ONBOARD. THIS TIN BOX
IS A LITTLE PIECE OF BRITAIN, AND WE WILL BE LIVING INSIDE IT. SHE WILL BECOME OUR HOME. Man: THIS IS A BIG DEAL, AND TODAY MARKS A REALLY, REALLY
IMPORTANT STEP FORWARD-- WHEN WE START WORKING
ON BOARD THIS SHIP, MOVING OUT OF THAT
GODAWFUL OFFICE COMPLEX, AND ACTUALLY START OPERATING
LIKE A PROPER SHIP'S COMPANY ON A PROPERLY CONSTITUTED
ROYAL NAVY WARSHIP. Percival:
I MEAN, TODAY'S A GREAT DAY. AT SOME STAGE, NO MATTER WHAT
THE SPREADSHEET TELLS YOU TO DO, YOU'VE GOT TO MOVE ON BOARD,
YOU'VE GOT TO GET ON BOARD. AND, UH, AND SO TODAY
WAS THE DAY THAT WAS CHOSEN. TODAY'S THE DAY WE GET ON BOARD AND START MAKING IT FEEL
LIKE YOUR OWN. I MEAN, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE I'VE ALSO SEEN
PICKING UP LITTER, BECAUSE NOW IT'S THEIR SHIP. Dave Garraghty:
THIS'LL BE MY SWEAR BOX. Narrator: NEWLY ARRIVED
DAVE GARRAGHTY IS THE EXECUTIVE
WARRANT OFFICER, RESPONSIBLE FOR WELFARE,
MORALE, AND DISCIPLINE. AND HE'S A GARAGE SALE FANATIC. Garraghty: AYE, AYE. ARE YOU BOTHERED? Hawkins: NO, NOT REALLY. Garraghty:
IT'S THE PINNACLE OF MY CAREER. AND IT'S NOT JUST
A CHEESY THROWAWAY LINE. I ACTUALLY MEAN THIS. IT IS ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT. I FEEL LIKE AN 18-YEAR-OLD AGAIN
ON MY FIRST SHIP, AND HOPEFULLY
THAT WILL COME ACROSS WHEN I MEET THE SAILORS, 'CAUSE YOU'LL HAVE
TOUGH DAYS IN HERE, AND WE JUST WALK UP
ONTO THE FLIGHT DECK AND LOOK AND JUST GO,
WOW, THAT'S AMAZING, YEAH. WE'RE THE FIRST PEOPLE
ON BOARD THIS SHIP, BREATHING LIFE AND SETTING SAIL. Man: HOT TRAY. Narrator: AND NOW THAT
EVERYBODY'S WORKING ON BOARD, THEY'RE ALSO GONNA
HAVE TO BE FED ON BOARD. Percival: TODAY'S SO EXCITING BECAUSE IT'S OUR FIRST TIME
THAT WE'VE ACTUALLY GOT IN HERE. IT'S THE FIRST TIME
YOU CAN SEE CHEFS GETTING TO GRIPS
WITH THEIR GALLEY AND TRYING TO UNDERSTAND
HOW DOES IT WORK? YOU KNOW, HAVE WE GOT
THE COUNTERS IN THE RIGHT ORDER? HAVE WE GOT THE FLOW
THROUGH THE DINING HALL? TO ACTUALLY
GET THIS THING OPERATIONAL AND GETTING IT STARTING
TO FEEL AND SMELL... TO SMELL LIKE
AN OPERATIONAL SHIP IS WHAT THIS IS ABOUT. Narrator:
EVERYBODY STARTS TO GET TO GRIPS WITH THEIR OWN PARTS
OF THE SHIP, AND THE AIR WING CLAIM
THEIR FLIGHT DECK AT LAST. FIRST THING THEY DO? CHECK FOR LITTER. Deller: ONE OF MY MAIN TASKS
IS OBVIOUSLY TO FLY SAFELY. AND, UM, ONE OF THE MAJOR
CONSTRAINTS TO FLYING SAFELY IS FOREIGN OBJECT DEBRIS. THIS IS, THIS CAN BE ANYTHING. IT CAN BE THAT PLASTIC BAG
JUST FLYING AROUND ON THE DECK. IT COULD BE A SAILOR'S HAMMER. IT COULD BE A COFFEE CUP. ANYTHING THAT CAN BE
INGESTED BY AN AIRCRAFT AND ESSENTIALLY
STOP THE TURBINES WORKING, JAM UP THE PROPELLERS, AND IT'S NOT GOOD FOR IT. Narrator: OR EVEN CAUSE
A FATAL CATASTROPHIC CRASH. SO, THE FOREIGN OBJECT
DEBRIS WALK, OR FOD PLOD, IS THE SINGLE
MOST IMPORTANT ACTIVITY ON ANY AIRCRAFT CARRIER. Ranson:
RIGHT, GUYS, STAY THERE. Deller: EVERY TIME
WE GO TO FLYING STATIONS WE CONDUCT FOD PLOD. WE DO IT AS WE START
THE DAY FLYING, WE DO IT EVERY SIX HOURS, AND THEN WE DO IT
BEFORE WE START NIGHT FLYING. Ranson:
THANK YOU FOR COMING UP. HUZZAH! Narrator: IT'S NOW MAY 2017. THE SHIP'S
HAD A LICK OF GRAY PAINT AND IS LOOKING THE PART. NOBODY'S LIVING ON BOARD YET, AND THERE'S STILL NO FIRM DATE
FOR SEA TRIALS, BUT THE QUEEN ELIZABETH
IS ABOUT TO GET THE ONE THING SHE NEEDS
TO MOVE FORWARD... LITERALLY. TEN NEW, SHINY
SOLID BRONZE PROPELLER BLADES. FIVE EACH
FOR THE TWO PROPELLERS. Kyd: THEY'RE A SORT OF
A WORK OF ART, AREN'T THEY? Man: YEAH, DEFINITELY.
THEY'RE BEAUTIFUL. Kyd: WELL, WHEN I SEE IT SAIL,
I'LL THINK OF YOU TWO. Man: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR.
Man: THERE WE GO. Kyd: THERE WE GO, YOU SEE? SO, NICE AND CLEAN. WE LIKE CLEAN PROPELLERS BECAUSE CLEAN PROPELLERS
MEAN MORE POWER, MORE SPEED. SO, THANKS, GUYS.
GOOD TO SEE YOU. YOU KNOW, NEARLY WELL OVER
100,000 HORSEPOWER ARE GONNA BE TRANSMITTED THROUGH
THESE BLADES ONCE THEY'RE ON. YEAH, THAT'S LIKE
SLAPPING THE WHEELS ON THE CAR. YOU KNOW, TA-DA! WE'RE DONE. SO, UH, VERY EXCITING. THE DIVING TEAM'S GOT TO FIT
THESE BLADES, THE PROPELLERS, UNDERNEATH THE WATER, OBVIOUSLY. UM, SO A REALLY HARD JOB. Man: IN THE WATER! Narrator: UP TO NOW, THEY'VE HAD TO TEST
THE ENGINES AND DRIVE SHAFTS WITHOUT PROPELLERS, FOR FEAR OF FORWARD MOVEMENT. Hawkins: THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE
INDICATOR OF OUR PROGRESS AND THE FACT THAT
WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE NEAR, WE'RE GETTING THERE. WE'VE HAD A FEW FALSE DAWNS. IT'S 16 MONTHS NOW THAT
I'VE BEEN ON BOARD THE SHIP, AND IT IS REALISTIC THAT WE'RE GONNA GO
AT THE END OF JUNE. THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER ALLIANCE WOULD NOT BE
PUTTING THE BLADES ON NOW IF WE WEREN'T
NEAR TO READY TO GO. SO, WE'RE TALKING NOW IN DEGREES
OF WEEKS AND DAYS OF A DELAY, NOT MONTHS. Man: RIGHT,
GO BACK TO THE BLADE, THE TOP OF THE BLADE AGAIN,
TYLER, THERE YOU GO. Narrator: THE BLADES
ARE GUIDED INTO POSITION, EACH ONE SECURED BY 128 BOLTS. Man: YOU'RE JUST GIVING THESE
A QUARTER TURN, AREN'T YOU, GAV? Narrator: IT'S PRECISION WORK
IN THE MURKIEST OF WATERS. WHEN COMPLETED, EACH PROPELLER
WILL WEIGH 33 TONS AND COMBINED WILL GENERATE THE SAME POWER
AS 50 HIGH-SPEED TRAINS. SO, THERE'S PROGRESS
BELOW THE WATER, BUT ALSO ABOVE. THE SHIP'S COMPANY
FINALLY GETS THE GO-AHEAD TO MOVE ON BOARD FULL-TIME. IT'S NOW JUNE 1st, AND THE SAILORS ARE GIVEN
THE KEYS TO THE SHIP, ALL 5,000 OF THEM. Milne:
WE'RE MOVING FORWARD. HA HA! Prest: OH, NO, BACK THIS WAY. Percival: LIGHTS? LIGHTS WORK. THIS IS GOOD. Prest: THERE WE GO. IMPORTANT THINGS FOR EVERY
HEAD OF DEPARTMENT'S CABIN. A HOME FROM HOME. Percival: AH! THIS IS SO WIDE! Milne: IS IT WORTH ME
POPPING UP AND HAVING A CHAT, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY... Narrator:
OVER THE NEXT TWO WEEKS, EVERYONE SETTLES IN
TO THEIR NEW HOME. Milne: OH, IT'S LOVELY, THIS. I MIGHT HAVE TO
COME UP HERE AGAIN. THAT'S SUPERB, THAT. HA HA HA! IT'S A BETTER OFFICE
THAN WHAT I WORK IN. GOD ALIVE. Narrator: BY JUNE 7th, IT'S CONFIRMED
THE SHIP COULD GO TO SEA ON THE NEXT SPRING TIDE. THAT'S IN LESS THAN THREE WEEKS. BUT FIRST, THE CREW MUST ENDURE A GRUELING,
EVEN DANGEROUS, ORDEAL. TOMORROW, ALL SHORE POWER
WILL BE TURNED OFF. Milne: WE'RE GONNA
BLOW THE ENGINE OVER. WE'RE NOT GONNA START IT,
WE'RE JUST GONNA BLOW IT OVER. Narrator: THE CARRIER WILL BE
POWERED BY HER OWN ENGINES FOR THE FIRST TIME. NOBODY WILL BE ALLOWED
OFF THE SHIP FOR SIX DAYS, WHATEVER HAPPENS. THEY'RE ABOUT TO GO TO SEA,
BUT WITHOUT MOVING AN INCH. THE NAVY CALLS THIS
A TEST CRUISE, AND IT'S NOT
FOR THE FAINT-HEARTED. Kyd: WE KNOW IT'S NOT GONNA BE
A BEAUTIFUL THING NEXT WEEK. IT'S NOT GONNA BE THE SORT OF
TEST CRUISE, TRAINING CRUISE THAT WE'RE ALL USED TO
IN THE NAVY BECAUSE WE ARE IMMERSED
IN STILL A BUILD. IT'S STILL A BUILDING SITE
IN MANY AREAS, AND WE'VE GOT A LOT
OF YOUNG PEOPLE HERE NOW, AS YOU KNOW. ANOTHER BATCH JOINED TODAY. SOME OF THEM ARE QUITE NERVOUS
ABOUT WHAT'S COMING UP. AS THE SANDS OF TIME RUN OUT,
IT'S GOING TO GET WORSE. IT'S GONNA GET WORSE FOR US
BEFORE IT GETS BETTER. AS SOON AS WE GET OFF SHORE, WE CAN SETTLE DOWN AND GET INTO
A PROPER BATTLE RHYTHM. AND DON'T LOSE YOUR RAG WITH PEOPLE WHO PERHAPS
ARE VERY INEXPERIENCED. OK? DARREN, YOU GOT
ANYTHING ELSE TO SUM UP? Narrator:
THE TEST CRUISE BEGINS. A JOURNEY INTO THE UNKNOWN
IN WHICH ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN. [ALARM SOUNDS] Man over loudspeaker:
FOR EXERCISE, FOR EXERCISE, FOR EXERCISE. FIRE, FIRE, FIRE. [ALARM SOUNDS] Narrator: ALARMS TRIGGER
A RELENTLESS STREAM OF PUNISHING EXERCISES, DAY AND NIGHT. NOBODY KNOWS WHEN OR WHERE
THE NEXT WILL BE, BUT REACTION MUST BE IMMEDIATE. Man: FLASH! FIRE DOORS
RELEASED TO ZONE THREE. Narrator: FLOOD AND FIRE
SITUATIONS ARE SIMULATED BUT MADE AS REALISTIC
AS POSSIBLE. [COUGHING] Narrator:
THIS IS ALL ABOUT HONING SKILLS, WORKING AS TEAMS, AND IMPORTANTLY,
SPEED OF REACTIONS... BECAUSE ON THIS UNTESTED SHIP, THERE'S NO GUARANTEE THE NEXT ALARM
WON'T BE FOR REAL. Garraghty: WE'VE GOT 3,300
COMPARTMENTS ON BOARD THE SHIP, SPREAD OVER MANY DECKS, SO IT IS A CHALLENGE TO FIND YOUR WAY
TO THE INCIDENT QUICKLY, BUT THAT'S WHAT
WE'RE TRAINING FOR TODAY, TO GET TO KNOW THE SHIP
AND HOW IT OPERATES. [ALARM SOUNDS] Man: LADS, THE SENSOR
WENT OFF IN 60. Narrator: EVERY SCENARIO IS CAREFULLY MONITORED,
TIMED, AND ASSESSED. IF THE SAILORS FAIL TO IMPRESS, CAPTAIN JERRY KYD WILL BE FORCED
TO DELAY THE SHIP'S DEPARTURE YET AGAIN. Man: THE TEMPERATURE
OF THE COMPARTMENT, WITHOUT GOING IN, IS A STEADY 27 DEGREES. Ranson: MATT'S GETTING
THE SMOKE AND FLAME... Narrator: FOR EMMA RANSON,
IT'S CRUNCH TIME. HER TEAM'S SPEED OF REACTION
TO A FIRE ON DECK IS ABOUT TO BE TESTED. 90 SECONDS IS HER TARGET TIME. Deller: OK, ARE WE ALL READY
IN ALL RESPECTS? Man: GREEN ON THE BRIDGE.
Man: GREEN ON THE BRIDGE, SIR. Deller: ROGER THAT. OK, THE AIRCRAFT IS ON ITS SIDE,
AND THE AIRCRAFT IS NOW ON FIRE. Man: TEN MINUTES NOW, SIR. Man: MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING. Man: EMERGENCY LANDING, EMERGENCY LANDING,
EMERGENCY LANDING. Ranson: OH, SORRY. [ALARM SOUNDS] [YELLING] [INDISTINCT ANNOUNCEMENT] Ranson:
GUYS! COME BACK! COME BACK! Narrator:
IF THE SHIP DOES GO TO SEA, IT'LL ONLY BE DAYS BEFORE THE FIRST HELICOPTER
LANDS ON HER. A FLIGHT DECK FIRE
MIGHT BE FOR REAL. Ranson: GUYS, GUYS, GUYS! ADVANCE! ADVANCE! NOSE TO TAIL! NOSE TO TAIL! Deller: CRASH FIRE RESCUE
IS IN ATTENDANCE. IT LOOKS AS THOUGH THE INCIDENT
IS BEING QUASHED. Narrator: 30 SECONDS
TO GET TO THE CONFLAGRATION. 60 SECONDS TO EXTINGUISH. TARGET ACHIEVED. Ranson: PUTTING THE CASUALTY
ON TO THE NEAREST LIFT. Woman: DOWN TO THE HANGAR.
Ranson: DOWN TO THE HANGAR. Woman:
ACROSS TO THE MEDICAL LIFT, AND THEN INTO RESUS. Ranson: THAT'S US DONE. Interviewer: HOW DID IT GO? Ranson:
EH, QUITE A LOT OF BOMBARDMENT, SO THERE WAS A LOT OF QUESTIONS
GETTING ASKED, UM, ON MYSELF 'CAUSE HOW WE'VE BEEN RUNNING IT HAS BEEN A LOT OF A SLOWER PACE. AND THIS WAS THEIR FIRST PROPER,
EVERYONE IN ATTENDANCE. I FOUND, AS AN INCIDENT LEADER, A LOT OF INFORMATION
IS COMING MY WAY ALL AT ONCE. AND I WAS
QUITE A PERSON IN DEMAND, SO THAT WAS A BIT
OF A CULTURE SHOCK. Deller: THAT WAS A GOOD
LITTLE RUN OUT THERE, AND IT WORKED QUITE WELL. SO, WE'RE PLEASED. THAT'S A HAPPY FACE. Interviewer:
BUT THIS IS ONE OF MANY-- [ALARM SOUNDS] Man over loudspeaker:
FLOOD, FLOOD, FLOOD. FLOOD IN EIGHT-ROMEO. TAC PARTY TO INVESTIGATE. [ALARM SOUNDS] FLOOD, FLOOD, FLOOD. FLOOD IN EIGHT-ROMEO. Narrator: THIS IS NOT A DRILL. Man over loudspeaker:
ALL TRAINING IS TO CEASE THROUGHOUT THE SHIP UNTIL THE STANDING SEA
EMERGENCY PARTY HAVE DEALT... Man: WHOA, WHOA, WHOA! Narrator: THIS IS FOR REAL. THERE'S A FLOOD
IN AN ENGINE ROOM. IT'S ONE OF
BRUCE MILNE'S DIESELS, AND IT'S HIGH VOLTAGE. THIS COULD NOT BE
MORE DANGEROUS. Man: EVERYTHING ELECTRICAL,
ALL ELECTRICAL BOXES COVERED UP. GET ALL THE ELECTRICAL PANELS
COVERED UP. Man: PLASTIC SHEETING! Narrator: ANY MISTAKE
COULD BE DISASTROUS. IF 11,000 VOLTS OF ELECTRICITY
SHORT-CIRCUITS OR ARCS NOW, EVERYBODY HERE IS DEAD. THEY NEED TO CUT THE POWER
BEFORE WATER GETS TO THE CABLES. Man: THAT'S WHERE
THE DANGER LIES-- THESE PEOPLE OPEN THESE DOORS. Man: BRUCE, DO YOU WANT ME
TO STAND ON THE HATCH? Narrator: THE CAUSE? A RUPTURE
IN A HIGH-LEVEL COOLING PIPE. SEA WATER IS BURSTING
OUT OF THE BREACH. Man: THE LAGGING
ON THE WHOLE OF THE DECK HEAD JUST ACTED AS A BARRIER, SO THE WHOLE OF THE LAGGING
IS NOW... Narrator:
IT'S THAT DAMMED-UP WATER THAT IS NOW GUSHING OUT, BUT ON TO
HIGH-VOLTAGE EQUIPMENT. Man: RIGHT. THAT LAGGING THERE,
DOES IT FEEL SOFT TO TOUCH IT? IS THAT WATER BEHIND
THIS TOP LAGGING HERE? Narrator: THEY'VE SWITCHED OFF
THE HIGH-VOLTAGE CIRCUITS AND COVERED
ALL ELECTRICAL PANELS. Man: ROGER THAT, SIR, WE'RE JUST
UNBOLTING THE HATCH NOW. Narrator: BUT THE INCIDENT
HAS TRIGGERED FLOOD SENSORS IN HIGH-VOLTAGE
COMPARTMENTS BELOW. Man: CONFIRM HV SAFE, FIVE-GOLF. Garraghty:
ISOLATION'S BEEN MADE. NO CASUALTIES
OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? Man: IT HASN'T BEEN ISOLATED. Garraghty: OK.
Man: NO, IT HASN'T. Man: YOU GOT A REPORT?
Garraghty: YEAH, GOING UP NOW. [NUTS DROPPING ON DECK] Man: THERE'S WATER IN THERE. Man: A TORCH.
Man: A TORCH? DC TORCH? Man: ANYONE GOT A TORCH? Man: OLLY, HAVE THEY ISOLATED
THAT PIPEWORK? Olly: YEAH, TWO VALVES BACK. Man: TWO VALVES BACK
HAS BEEN ISOLATED. RIGHT. OLLY?
IS THAT PUMP WORKING? Olly: NO. Man over loudspeaker:
THE SOURCE OF THE WATER HAS NOW BEEN ISOLATED. Narrator: THEIR SWIFT RESPONSE STOPPED THE FLOOD
AND CONTAINED THE EMERGENCY, BUT IT EASILY
COULD HAVE BEEN A DISASTER. Milne: WE WERE WORRIED THAT IF THE WATER STARTED
POURING THROUGH AGAIN, WE COULD HAVE ENDED UP
WITH IT ARCING AND ELECTROCUTION. SO, WE'VE GOT TO BE
MINDFUL OF THIS, THAT EVERYBODY THAT ATTENDS
THESE SCENES OF ANY INCIDENTS KNOW THE DANGERS INHERENT
WITH THE COMPARTMENT. THIS IS WHEN YOU FIND OUT
WHO'S GONNA LOSE THEIR HEAD AND WHO'S GONNA LOOK AT IT
IN A PRAGMATIC WAY AND THINK, ACTUALLY, YEAH, THIS
IS HOW WE'RE GONNA START AND THIS IS WHAT
WE'RE GONNA DO NEXT, AND I REQUIRE
THIS AMOUNT OF MANPOWER. SO, IT ALL COMES DOWN TO A THINKING MAN'S GAME,
YOU KNOW? Man: NOISE LEVELS IN THE ACC! Narrator: THE TEST CRUISE HAS BEEN A WAKE-UP CALL
FOR EVERYONE-- A STARK REMINDER
THAT AN UNTESTED WARSHIP IS AN INHERENTLY
DANGEROUS PLACE TO BE. Garraghty: WE WOULD NORMALLY
DO TRAINING IN SIX WEEKS. WE'RE PRETTY MUCH DOING IT
IN SIX DAYS AT THE MOMENT. VERY COMPRESSED, UM, BUT WE'VE GONE FROM, FROM BEING A REAL SORT OF CLUNKY
ORGANIZATION ON THE SHIP TO WORKING AS A TEAM, UH, LOOKING OUT FOR EACH OTHER, AND SAFELY DELIVERING
WHAT THE CAPTAIN WANTED, FOR US TO SAFELY PROCEED TO SEA AND DEAL WITH ANY INCIDENT
THAT MAY OCCUR. ♪ Kyd: THE WEATHER'S NICE NOW. Narrator:
IT'S THURSDAY, JUNE 22nd, AND THE CAPTAIN HAS ONCE AGAIN
SUMMONED HIS SHIP'S COMPANY. Hawkins:
SHIP'S COMPANY, STAND AT EASE! Kyd: RIGHT. WE'VE JUST TAKEN THE DECISION THAT WE WILL GO
FOR A SAILING ON MONDAY. IT IS NOT LOST, I HOPE,
ON ANY OF YOU HOW MOMENTOUS THIS COULD BE AND WHAT THIS MEANS
FOR THE ROYAL NAVY. FOR THOSE OF YOU
WHO HAVE NOT BEEN TO SEA BEFORE, I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER THERE IS NO CAVALRY
OR FIRE BRIGADE WHEN WE MOVE OFF THE WALL. WE WILL HAVE EMERGENCIES. WE WILL HAVE FLOODS. I KNOW WE'RE WELL-PRACTICED
AT THOSE ALREADY. AND WE WILL PROBABLY HAVE FIRES. WE WILL PROBABLY
HAVE CASUALTIES. THAT IS THE NATURE
OF THIS BUSINESS. THIS IS OUR SHIP NOW.
DON'T FORGET IT. ♪ Narrator:
IT'S MONDAY, JUNE 26, 2017. AND AFTER 20 YEARS OF TECHNICAL
AND SCIENTIFIC DEVELOPMENT, EIGHT YEARS OF ENGINEERING
AND CONSTRUCTION, AND TWO YEARS TO ASSEMBLE
AND TRAIN THE SHIP'S COMPANY, HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH PREPARES TO GO TO SEA
FOR THE FIRST TIME. ♪ Kyd: NICE AND QUIET, EH? Interviewer: READY, CAPTAIN? Kyd: WE'RE GOOD, WE'RE SAFE, THE PILOTS ARE HERE,
THE TUGS ARE HERE. SHIP'S COMPANY
ARE CLEARLY UP FOR IT. UM, THIS IS THE CULMINATION
OF YEARS OF WORK FROM EVERYONE, PARTICULARLY
THE LAST SIX MONTHS, AND WE JUST NEED
TO GET OUT NOW. Garraghty: THERE'S A QUARTER
OF THE SHIP'S COMPANY WHO'VE NEVER BEEN TO SEA BEFORE, AND WHAT A VESSEL
TO GET TO SEA ON. ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC. ♪ Kyd: ALL LINES GO NOW. Man over loudspeaker:
ALL PARTS OF SHIP, THIS IS THE BOATSWAIN
ON THE BRIDGE. LET GO ALL LINES. Kyd: HOORAY! ♪ THERE SHE GOES.
BOW'S GOING NOW NICELY, I THINK. WE'RE NOW NO LONGER
ATTACHED TO SCOTLAND. Narrator: HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH IS COAXED OFF THE WALL
BY A FLEET OF TUGS. THIS IS WHAT'S CALLED
A COLD MOVE. THE SUPERCARRIER IS NOT YET
UNDER HER OWN POWER. ♪ Milne: WE'RE DOING
WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING NOW. WE'RE NO LONGER A BUILDING SITE;
WE'RE A SHIP. ♪ Narrator:
NEXT, THERE'S JUST THE MATTER OF SQUEEZING THROUGH
THE BASIN GATES. Hawkins: IT IS REMARKABLE. WE'VE GOT 30 CENTIMETERS
EITHER SIDE OF THE ENTRANCE. ♪ Narrator: IT'S VERY TIGHT, BUT AFTER CAREFUL MANEUVERING
BY EXPERT TUG MASTERS, HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH SLIDES
SAFELY INTO THE NORTH SEA. ON BOARD, 700 SAILORS
AND 200 CONSTRUCTION WORKERS, ALL PREPARING
FOR THE RIGORS OF SEA TRIALS. IT'S NOT UNTIL MIDNIGHT, WHEN THE TIDE IS LOW ENOUGH
TO GET UNDER THE BRIDGES, THAT THE COLD MOVE
BECOMES A HOT ONE. AND THE SHIP'S
BRAND-NEW PROPELLERS START TO SPIN
FOR THE FIRST TIME. Kyd: FIRST TIME WE'VE
SAILED THIS SUPERCARRIER OUT, AND THIS IS THE LAST PART, UNDER THE BRIDGES AND AT NIGHT AND LOW WATER, WITH A BRAND-NEW CREW. THE SHIP'S PERFORMING
REALLY WELL. SHE'S NOT VIBRATING. Man: TWO CABLES TO RUN. Kyd: TWO CABLES TO RUN, ROGER. Narrator: FINALLY,
WITH THE TIDE AT ITS LOWEST AND THE POLE MAST DOWN, THE SUPERCARRIER EDGES UNDER
THE FORTH RAIL BRIDGE, AS CALCULATED, WITH JUST A FEW FEET TO SPARE. Kyd: OK, HERE WE GO. HAPPY? LOOKS GOOD TO ME. STRAIGHT THROUGH THE MIDDLE. Narrator:
AND NOW THE WAY IS OPEN. BUT WHAT NEXT
FOR THE SHIP'S COMPANY? THEY WERE PUSHED TO THEIR LIMITS
ON A ONE-WEEK TEST CRUISE WITHOUT EVEN MOVING. HOW ARE THEY GOING TO HANDLE
SIX WEEKS ON THE HIGH SEAS AT FULL SPEED? THEIR ADVENTURE
IS JUST BEGINNING. ♪ NEXT TIME, THE QUEEN ELIZABETH
FLEXES HER MUSCLES AND BARES HER TEETH. [GUNFIRE] Man: GUYS, LET'S DO IT. BE SAFE. Narrator: THERE'S
A FIRST FLIGHT DECK LANDING. BUT THEN THE ENGINEERS HEAR TROUBLING NOISES
FROM UNDER THE SHIP, AND IT'S NOT GOOD NEWS. ♪ ♪
