Early 2016, sailors begin to arrive at Rosyth dockyard, Scotland where HMS Queen Elizabeth is still under construction. Captain Jerry Kyd and his crew have to undergo rigorous training before they can set sail.

4 days into the sea trials and all is going well with the first aircraft landing on the flight deck - until an explosion in a cooling plant, a fuel leak and a broken waste disposal system cause problems. There is also a mystery knocking.

HMS Queen Elizabeth reaches the climax of her sea trials. The automatic flight-deck fire-fighting system is tested. She pays a poignant visit to Scapa Flow before rendezvousing with the USS George Bush.