The means for delivering our future landing platform helicopter (LPH) capability have not yet been decided, nor has the eventual out-of-service date of HMS Ocean, which provides the current capability. These decisions will be taken to ensure coherence with the introduction into service of the new Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers.While not originally designed as a maritime helicopter, the Ministry of Defence has modified and cleared the Apache to support maritime operations, such as those demonstrated from HMS Ocean on Op Ellamy (Libya). The Government believes that a modern carrier capability should be able to undertake a variety of roles, and the flexibility of the Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers will allow them to be optimised around an air group consisting of the joint strike fighter and Merlin helicopter, with a number of other platforms, including Apache, designated as 'secondary aircraft'.