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HMS Queen Elizabeth: Britain's largest ever warship sets sail for first time in 'historic moment'

Britain’s largest ever warship, the HMS Queen Elizabeth, has begun has set sail for the very first time for a series of sea trials.

The Royal Navy warship, which is one of two aircraft carriers being built at a cost of more than £2 billion, set sail from the Rosyth dockyard, in Fife, on Monday afternoon.

The 65,000 tonne ship will now begin a series of sea trials, having just about squeezed through the estuary’s exit.

HMS Queen Elizabeth set sail with the help of 11 smaller boats which tugged the huge vessel from the dock - fitting through the exit by just metres.

Hundreds of crew members were pictured waving goodbye on the deck for the historic moment.

The ship is the largest ever built for the Royal Navy, with the flightdeck alone the size of three football pitches, and took nearly a decade to build.

It is also the first built since HMS Ark Royal was scrapped in 2010.

HMS Elizabeth is pulled out of the dock with just metres to spare (Royal Navy)
HMS Elizabeth is pulled out of the dock with just metres to spare (Royal Navy)

Once in service it will be able to carry a crew of about 1,000 and 40 aircraft.

Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon told the BBC: "This is a historic moment for the UK as our new aircraft carrier takes to sea for the very first time.

HMS Elizabeth is the largest ever Royal Navy warship (PA)
HMS Elizabeth is the largest ever Royal Navy warship (PA)

"This floating fortress is by far the most powerful ship ever built in Britain that will enable us to tackle multiple and changing threats across the globe.

"HMS Queen Elizabeth is an enduring example of British imagination, ingenuity, invention that will help keep us safe for decades to come. She is built by the best, crewed by the best and will deliver for Britain.

"For the next 50 years she will deploy around the world, demonstrating British power and our commitment to confronting the emerging challenges from a dangerous world. The whole country can be proud of this national achievement."

For the next six weeks, HMS Queen Elizabeth will head to the North Sea for sea trials before flight trials begin off the eastern coast of the United States in October 2018.

It is believed the journeys will be monitored by Russian submarines, ships and planes.

Mr Fallon also said he expected Russian officials to be watching the launch with “envy”.

Technical issues with the ship have delayed its launch by three months, with the Government originally hoping to make HMS Elizabeth fully operational by 2020.

Admiral Sir Phillp Jones, of the Royal Navy, said: “This is a hugely significant moment for the Royal Navy.

“Once in service , HMS Queen Elizabeth will be the largest aircraft carrier in the world outside the United States.”