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UK's Queen Elizabeth visits new aircraft carrier before Asia voyage

UK's Queen Elizabeth visits new aircraft carrier before Asia voyage

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II signs the visitors' book during her visit to the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth

Britain'sQueenElizabethvisited the country'snewaircraftcarrieron Saturday, named in her honour beforeit leads a flotilla of Royal Navy ships toAsian waters on its maiden operationalvoyage.

Thequeen, aged 95, stepped aboard the HMSQueenElizabethin Portsmouth, seven years after she named the vessel alongside her late husband Prince Philip who died last month.

The 65,000-tonneQueenElizabethwill carry eight British F-35B fighter jets and 10 USF-35s as well as 250 USmarines as part of a 1,700-strong crew.

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It will lead the flotilla alongside two destroyers, two frigates, a submarine and two support ships on its journey of 26,000 nautical miles over 28 weeks. The group will be joined by a USdestroyer and a frigate from the Dutch navy.

The group will sail through the contested South China Sea, parts of which are claimed by China and South-EastAsian countries, on its way to the Philippine Sea. The ships will also stop in India and Singapore.

Also Read |UK's largest naval ship to sail to India next month

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said the deployment will help to project British soft power such as a belief in democracy and the rule of law.