Prime Minister Cameron: "The UK will have two aircraft carriers"
September 10, 2014


Prime Minister Cameron: "The UK will have two aircraft carriers"
July 4 British aircraft carrier Queen Elizabeth was launched. Britain announced that two of its aircraft carrier will join the fleet

The British Royal Navy is ready to receive the second aircraft carrier. On Friday, after the two-day NATO summit this announced by British Prime Minister David Cameron.

Britain is building two aircraft carriers with a displacement of 000 tons on 65 contract worth 6.2 billion pounds (10 billion dollars), signed with the Industrial Alliance, led by BAE Systems. Earlier, the coalition of conservatives claimed that the second ship will be mothballed or sold in connection with the high cost of operation of two ships.


The British government has said it will consider this issue as part of the defense strategy and analysis of security after the general election next year.

Although there is currently a decision and postponed for 12 months, but Mr Cameron sure that the Royal Navy will operate and the second ship Prince of Wales, when he will be commissioned in 2020.

"The second aircraft carrier entered service. This means that the British fleet will always be fully operational aircraft carrier, "- said Cameron.

While in this process, the UK will receive two active aircraft carriers, there is a question about the number of aircraft F-35B short takeoff and vertical landing, which are designed for these carriers. Order for the first batch of 14 aircraft, which should go into service of the Royal Navy and the Air Force, is still expected.

Defense Ministry spokesman refused to announce the completion of the transaction, but confirmed that still in the plans to get the first full-time plane in 2016.

The first ship of this class of Queen Elizabeth was launched on July 4 and has now begun his training and manning. Completion of this process is scheduled for 2017, and initial operational capability of an aircraft carrier is scheduled for 2020.

The decision to commission an aircraft carrier Prince of Wales was the second sharp political turn of the government as part of the aircraft carriers since it began in 2010.

In accordance with a review of the strategic defense and security in 2010 when the government decided to abandon the variant F-35B and instead buy from Lockheed Martin's version of the attack aircraft F-35C.

Later, the government once again returned to a variant F-35B, as the high cost of rework of aircraft carriers off under conventional aircraft proved to be too high.

The decision on admission to the arms of the second aircraft carrier fleet was the second in a loud statement made by the British Prime Minister in the last few days, in which he touched upon the increasing capabilities of the armed forces of Great Britain.

Before the summit, Cameron also announced a contract worth 3.5 billion pounds, concluded with the company General Dynamics UK, for the manufacture of specialized armored vehicles for the British Army.

On this Site www.defensenews.com