HMS Ocean in Devonport for £65m upgrade

The upgrade at Devonport Naval Base is expected to take 15 months to complete

HMS Ocean, the Royal Navy's largest warship, has sailed into Devon for a £65m upgrade.

The work will involve improvements to its radar, gun, command system and living quarters.

The helicopter carrier will undergo the upgrade at its home port of Devonport over the next 15 months.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said Babcock Marine would carry out the work, securing 300 jobs at the base and involving 70 contractors.

Carey hit

About 1,200 metres (0.7 miles) of new pipe work will be laid and 100,000 litres (175,975 pints) of paint applied during the upgrade.

The MoD said it was the "largest upkeep programme of its kind to be carried out at the docks in more than 20 years".

During the summer HMS Ocean, whose crew has the Freedom of the City of Sunderland, was moored on the Thames to provide security and accommodation for the Olympic Games.

Last Christmas, it also came to the attention of singer Mariah Carey after the crew made their own version of her hit All I Want For Christmas Is You.