New time for UK aircraft carrier naval visit

On 13 October, HMS Queen Elizabeth arrives in Gothenburg, Sweden. The vessel is the lead ship of the Queen Elizabeth class of aircraft carriers. Together with her sister ship, the Prince of Wales, it is largest and most powerful vessels ever constructed for the Royal Navy. The naval visit is part of the UK Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF), a defence cooperation framework comprising ten countries. The JEF, which can is led by the UK, and Sweden has been a member since 2017. The JEF is capable of rapid response in times of crisis and war.The presence of HMS Queen Elizabeth demonstrates that west coast harbour and Baltic Sea inlets are areas of strategic importance, to be protected by the JEF. This is a one-of-a-kind visit as it is one of the largest war ships to ever visit Sweden.

During the naval visit, several joint exercises between Swedish naval and air combat forces and their UK equivalents will be conducted along the Swedish west coast and in the Baltic Sea. A JEF meeting with heads of state and government is planned to take place in Visby on the island of Gotland. HMS Queen Elizabeth will be in Gothenburg for about a week.

During the naval visit, the continued reinforcement of the JEF's and the Swedish Armed Forces’ capability to counter hostile attacks in the West Sea, Gothenburg harbour and the Baltic Sea and its inlets will be discussed. There will also be a number of other types of collaboration within the JEF cooperation framework. In connection with the visit, the vessel will stock up on supplies and let the crew rest and recover.

Media activities

Media is invited to come along to the archipelago to meet up with the vessel and take pictures up close. We will also visit soldiers from the 5th Marine battalion, deployed to protect the aircraft carrier. You will have a meet and greet with the Commander of the Älvsborg Marine Regiment (Amf 4), Colonel Fredrik Herlitz.

Meeting point: Outside the guard at the Älvsborg Marine Regiment, on Friday 13 October, at 10.30 am. We will return at approximately 13.30 (1.30 pm.). Dress according to the weather.
Media is asked to register by sending name, personal identification number (Swedish citizens) or date of birth (foreign citizens) and the media outlet you represent, in an e-mail to: amf4-info@mil.se by Thursday 12 October at 14.00 (2 pm).

The number of places is limited and we reserve the right to decline.

If you have any questions about the media activity, please contact Johanna Frejme, Head of Communications at Amf 4: johanna.frejme@mil.se, or telephone: +46 (0)70-793 22 56.

During the naval visit, a press conference will be carried out onboard HMS Queen Elizabeth. A separate invitation will be sent out shortly.

Facts about Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF)

The JEF is a defence cooperation framework between ten countries led by the UK. The coalition comprises Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the UK, and is primarily intended to be used for operations in the Baltic Sea area, North Atlantic and the Arctic. The JEF is capable of acting independently in its own right or in support of Nato or the UN. The JEF is a rapid reaction force that can be rapidly deployed in times of crisis or war. Together with nine other nations, the Swedish Armed Forces is to be capable of acting quickly if security is threatened in the Baltic Sea region, for example. The JEF was founded in 2012, in part as a consequence of the UK experiences of missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. The JEF has been fully operational since 2018. Sweden has been part of the JEF since 2017.

Facts about the aircraft carrier:

HMS Queen Elizabeth is the largest and most powerful vessel ever constructed for the Royal Navy. She is capable of carrying up to 40 aircraft and helicopters, i.a. F35 Joint Strike Fighter fast jet.

Length: 280 m Displacement: 65 000 tonnes Speed: more than 25 knots Crew: 1600 soldiers and sailors