Aircraft Carrier Weapons Handling System Achieves Milestone

(December 11, 2009) -- An important milestone has been reached with the delivery of the first component of the Highly Mechanised Weapons Handling System (HMWHS), being designed and built by Babcock for the Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers.

The first pair of hydraulically operated magazine lift doors, each measuring 12 metres wide by 3 metres high and weighing 6000 kg, have now been delivered for integration. These will be fitted within the deep magazine complex and are designed to operate automatically as part of the HMWHS. Delivery of the doors was required at this early stage in the build programme as their size and location within the ship means that the doors are an integral component of the vessel. The door insert is welded into the bulkhead of the ship.


The QE class HMWHS provides mechanical handling facilities for moving palletised munitions around the deep magazine and weapon preparation areas, and a series of weapons lifts to connect the magazines, hangar, weapon preparation area and flight deck. This innovative solution to munitions handling represents the first maritime application of shore-based commercial warehousing processes using automated systems with all-electric control, adapted for safe transport and stowage of munitions in a warship environment. It is estimated to yield a 65% reduction in manpower required for what is traditionally a labour-intensive, time-consuming and potentially hazardous process, thereby helping to reduce through-life costs and adopt increased safety standards.

The magazine doors are designed to be watertight to 0.5 bar and A60 fire rated, and to operate within an ATEX directive Zone 2 hazardous environment, and can be removed from the assembly for the replacement of the seals. The design is Lloyd's Register approved.

The doors have undergone Factory Acceptance Testing to check the hydraulic components, open/close actuator and locks, and seals. The seals will undergo further water pressure testing after installation, during Harbour Acceptance Trials.

This is the first of many equipment and component deliveries which will take place over the next two years, relating to the various mechanical, electrical, hydraulic and pneumatic subsystems that make up the HMWHS. Electrical panels used to drive the 'moles' (on which the palletised munitions are moved) are being delivered this month (December), and further deep magazine doors will be delivered in January, February and April 2010 (each carrier having a total of four pairs of magazine doors).

Babcock surface ship and specialist systems director Matt Hatson comments: "After completion of the concept, assessment, and demonstration phases, and with manufacture now underway, it is good to see the first major element of equipment for the system being delivered to schedule, marking a significant milestone in the project. This delivery follows three years of combined design, development and integration effort, by Babcock, the door manufacturers, and the Aircraft Carrier Alliance."

Rod Steel, Aircraft Carrier Alliance Project Manager for the Design and Procurement of the HMWHS, said: "This is an important milestone for us, confirming that the project is progressing well and momentum is growing, whilst contributing a critical element of the ship build programme bang on schedule. Integration activities for the HMWHS will continue from the incorporation of these major structural items right up to the final system setting to work, test and commissioning, and this first delivery event is tangible proof that we are indeed well on track and together with our industrial partners working as a cohesive alliance team within the exciting and challenging major project that is the QE Class design and build."

Source : Babcock International