Herman Hum
08 Dec 06, 14:56
Royal Navy left 'ill-equipped'
7.06, Wed Dec 21 2005
ITV News (http://www.itv.com/news/472640ec1b9f19c338c40b1e25af2ddf.html)
The Royal Navy could be left seriously under-equipped because a £31bn project to replace its aircraft carriers is behind schedule, MPs have warned.
Britain's existing carriers - HMS Illustrious and HMS Ark Royal - are due to be decommissioned by 2013, but the delivery date of the new carriers - HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince Of Wales - has been pushed back to at least 2016.
And the overall cost of the two ships is likely to climb from an original budget of £2.8bn to as much as £4.8 bn.
Added to this, there are fears that an order for 150 new US aircraft to be used aboard the carriers may have to be scrapped. The Pentagon is making cuts and it is feared the new Joint Strike Fighter may never be built. [Emphasis added by HH]
The Defence Select Committee says the Royal Navy could be left using outdated equipment at "substantial extra cost".
Committee chairman James Arbuthnot said: "The procurement of two aircraft carriers and the joint strike fighter aircraft to operate from them will provide the Royal Navy with a key capability for the future.
"These are two huge programmes, both in terms of their cost and their importance to the UK defence industry.
"On the carrier programme, there have been delays in taking the main investment decision, finalising the arrangement under which the programme is being run and making decisions on the optimum shipbuild strategy.
"Unfortunately, as with many other defence equipment programmes, our armed forces are likely to receive the equipment they need, and the capability they require to undertake their roles, later than originally planned.
"The Royal Navy may well be forced to run on less capable equipment, beyond the date when it was due to be withdrawn from service."
7.06, Wed Dec 21 2005
ITV News (http://www.itv.com/news/472640ec1b9f19c338c40b1e25af2ddf.html)
The Royal Navy could be left seriously under-equipped because a £31bn project to replace its aircraft carriers is behind schedule, MPs have warned.
Britain's existing carriers - HMS Illustrious and HMS Ark Royal - are due to be decommissioned by 2013, but the delivery date of the new carriers - HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince Of Wales - has been pushed back to at least 2016.
And the overall cost of the two ships is likely to climb from an original budget of £2.8bn to as much as £4.8 bn.
Added to this, there are fears that an order for 150 new US aircraft to be used aboard the carriers may have to be scrapped. The Pentagon is making cuts and it is feared the new Joint Strike Fighter may never be built. [Emphasis added by HH]
The Defence Select Committee says the Royal Navy could be left using outdated equipment at "substantial extra cost".
Committee chairman James Arbuthnot said: "The procurement of two aircraft carriers and the joint strike fighter aircraft to operate from them will provide the Royal Navy with a key capability for the future.
"These are two huge programmes, both in terms of their cost and their importance to the UK defence industry.
"On the carrier programme, there have been delays in taking the main investment decision, finalising the arrangement under which the programme is being run and making decisions on the optimum shipbuild strategy.
"Unfortunately, as with many other defence equipment programmes, our armed forces are likely to receive the equipment they need, and the capability they require to undertake their roles, later than originally planned.
"The Royal Navy may well be forced to run on less capable equipment, beyond the date when it was due to be withdrawn from service."