Where British Sailors line the flight deck of the Royal Navy’s latest aircraft carrier, the air picks up the scent of caramel and cedar. A bottle of whiskey empties its contents over the side as Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II christens the largest ever ship in Royal naval history. In the distance, waves crash against the shore, ready to welcome the newly named HMS Queen Elizabeth (R08), July 4, 2014.
The recent passing of the queen on Sept. 8, 2022 was felt throughout the British nation and navy. Sailors aboard HMS Queen Elizabeth took a day to reflect, mourning the loss from across the Atlantic. The Sailors were given the opportunity to watch her majesty’s funeral on TV while operations slowed to mourn.
“She’s been here a number of times,” said Lt Cmd. Pej Nikoufekr, a flight deck officer on HMS Queen Elizabeth. “A lot of the crew have met her, so of course—having met the queen three times—it was very strange because she’s been the queen since 1954, so we don’t know any different.”
Many aspects of Britain changed overnight. From the national anthem to the insignias on military uniforms, citizens are learning to adjust to a new monarch after over 70 years of their queen.
Since the christening ceremony with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and its commissioning in 2017, the ship has been working toward full operational status, participating in numerous deployments, sea-trials and exercises. On Sept. 20, 2022, it moored at Pier 12 in Naval Station Norfolk for a short stop before taking part in a national conference in New York.
The amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1) had the honor of hosting HMS Queen Elizabeth during the ship’s stay. Sailors from both nations were given the opportunity to board one another’s ship and learn about their operations.
“It is very apparent they have a lot of pride in what they do,” said Aviation Support Equipment Technician 2nd Class Timothy Nobes. “I was incredibly motivated by the opportunity to go over there and see the Royal navy ship and see how the Royal navy operates. Their ship was pristine, and it was very influencing. It made me feel like I had more pride in my work and my job and my Navy.”
During deployments, US Sailors will often find themselves surrounded by Sailors of foreign nations. Interacting with those allies is an important part of being deployed, shared Commander Jared Ott, air officer of Wasp. Understanding how other countries function ensures an unabridged ability to perform flawlessly on both sides.
“It’s a no-brainer,” said Ott. “There’s no other nation more similar to us than Britain. It’s really important to learn those capabilities because down range in countries those guys are going to do a lot of operations with you.”
The interaction provided Wasp Sailors with a better grasp of how the Royal navy works and vice versa. While the two militaries are separate in country of origin, their similarities range from the joyful humor between shipmates to operating a F-35 on the flight deck. The mission stays the same no matter where a Sailor goes.
“It’s about consistency and always being there to do our job: always being ready to do that job,” said Nikoufekr. “I think there’s a lot of similarities in how we operate because we operate a lot together.”
In the beginning of America’s history, the United States had a tumultuous relationship with Britain. Despite a complicated past, the two countries have developed a connection that allows them to work together seamlessly.
No matter what side of the pond they reside on, a Sailor is a Sailor, and the warrior mindset is one that will never change.