The British aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth recently participated in an unusual naval exercise where it opened fire against a giant inflatable target known as “Killer Tomato”, used to simulate threats from the surface during sharp shooting training.
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These goals, used by several vessels in the Royal Navy, are crucial to developing precision and confidence in the crew in real fighting situations, and act as a practical supplement to simulator -based training.
The action was part of a new phase of sea tests that began after the ship left Portsmouth in Southern England, following a comprehensive maintenance review in the middle of the life. The goal now is to evaluate updated navigation and propulsion systems before the ship continues to the yard in Rosyth, Scotland, where it will spend seven months in dry dock. The technical break will allow inspections and improvements in areas that are not available when the ship is in the water.
During this period, the crew will be divided between facilities in Fife and Portsmouth, and some of the seafarers are expected to participate in activities with local partners in Scotland.
HMS Queen Elizabeth thus ends a six-year period of intense operations, including global missions and NATO exercises, and is preparing to get back to full strength to their tasks in the front line.
Source: UK Defence Journal | Photo: x @hmsqnlz | This content was created with the help of artificial intelligence and reviewed by the editorial staff
Back to basics.
Our GPMG teams keep their skills sharp with a gunnery serial at sea, using the famous ‘killer tomato’ as their target. pic.twitter.com/zog9XpHLac
— HMS Queen Elizabeth (@HMSQNLZ) July 23, 2025
