The naming ceremony for HMS Queen Elizabeth – First of Class Aircraft Carrier – marked a historic day in the life of Rosyth Dockyard with the new ship the largest and most technically advanced in Royal Navy history being built and assembled at Rosyth Dockyard, Fife, Scotland.
Other yards across the UK including Appledore, Birkenhead, Govan, Portsmouth and the Tyne had also been involved in building parts of the ship which had then been brought to Rosyth to be assembled and the workforce will continue to work on fitting the ship out until the Royal Navy takes her over in 2015.
Many Fife firms have also been involved in the supply chain where it is estimated an additional 10,000 jobs have been supported across the UK. For the workforce and all the apprentices this was a really proud day and demonstrates the skills and engineering expertise available in Scotland and across the UK.
A big congratulations to everyone involved with this project especially every Fifer who can say I played a part in building the Royal Navy’s Aircraft Carriers!
The defence sector employs more than 12,600 people in Scotland and then the supply chain accounts for many more jobs not to mention the economic impact on local communities.
