Sunday Times:
A plan to build two giant aircraft carriers for the Royal Navy is in disarray amid repeated delays to the signing of the production contract and doubts over what aircraft will be available to fly from them.
The delivery date of the first of the carriers will now be pushed back four years to at least 2016. The overall cost is predicted to climb from £2.8 billion to as much as £4.2 billion.
Further complications have been caused by fears in America that the country’s Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) project, which it is proposed the carriers should deploy, may be scrapped. With Britain’s existing carriers, Ark Royal and Illustrious, due to be decommissioned by 2013, the navy faces keeping them in service or enduring a gap of three years with no replacements.
Janes Defence Industry:
UK MoD distances itself from CVF in-service date
Hansard -
Minutes of evidence 25th Oct
Hansard -
Minutes of Evidence 18th Oct
Worrying comments on the 18th reference the stealth of the UK JCA, namely we will not be getting the same aircraft as the USA. Cdre Henley stonewalls for a while, but has no real response to Mr Jones remarks as to his briefing in Washington by Lockheed.