To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Goldie on 12 December (HL3834), what is the definition of Full Operational Capability of Carrier Strike.
Answered on
23 December 2022
The Full Operating Capability (FOC) of the Carrier Strike is defined as a Queen Elizabeth Class carrier able to operate with 24 F35B Lightning and supporting ships and helicopters. This increases to 36 F35B and four Crowsnest Airborne Early Warning helicopters when the Queen Elizabeth Class carriers are operating within a Maritime Task Group configuration. These will continue to be the defining features of any future FOC declaration.
Answered by
Ministry of Defence