National Audi Office concerns about spirally costs on the two big RN carriers

[Robert]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14057337

The National Audit Office has expressed deep concern about changes to the Royal Navy's two new aircraft carriers made in the 2010 defence review.

The NAO queries whether the changes represent value for money and points out there will be a decade-long gap without aircraft carrier capability.

Margaret Hodge, chair of the public accounts committee, said the report was "deeply worrying". Defence Secretary Liam Fox said changes put the programme "back on track".

In its report, the NAO said changes to the carrier programme in the government's strategic defence and security review (SDSR) had created "significant levels of operational, technical, cost and schedule uncertainty", with the final total cost of the programme now set to exceed £10bn.

The ships - HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales - were saved from defence cuts under the coalition government because it said it would cost more to cancel the projects than proceed with them.

Ministers agreed to change the design of one, or both, of the aircraft carriers to make them compatible with the US Navy's version of the Joint Strike Fighter.

Such a major project requires a huge amount of planning and technical preparation, and costs have already escalated significantly since the project began. The government's decision to change the variant of the aircraft to go on board - from the short-take off and vertical landing version of the joint strike fighter to the carrier version that requires catapult and arrestor gear - has added new risks to the project, which range from financial to operational.

While the decision to buy the more capable version of the aircraft makes operational sense, as it can drop heavier weapons and has a greater range, the 'cats and traps' that will be needed for take-off and landing are a whole new system which hasn't yet been trialled or used.

Regenerating the Royal Navy's ability to launch aircraft from a carrier after a gap of 10 years will bring its own challenges, in ensuring crews are trained, ready and able to perform this intricate and demanding job.

The report also makes clear even under the previous government's plans, the MOD had a 'funding gap' when it originally ordered the carriers - the order went ahead on the basis the MOD would make other savings in order to be able to afford the carriers.

The NAO said the way the SDSR was conducted was "not the ideal situation in which to have to take strategic decisions," and it has warned it is concerned the carrier programme may be vulnerable to further changes if the promised increases in defence spending don't materialise in 2015.

HMS Prince of Wales will not enter service - it will be built but not kitted out, and then kept as a reserve vessel - while HMS Queen Elizabeth is expected to go into service around 2020, with both said to cost some £6bn.

The NAO said the decision to buy a different version of the aircraft has delayed the entry into service date by two years, leaving the UK without a carrier able to launch aircraft for a decade and adding significant new risks to the project.

The Whitehall spending watchdog pointed out the decision to make only one carrier with aircraft operational means the UK will only have a carrier at sea for between 150 and 200 days per year - meaning it will rely heavily on allies to fill the gap.

Ms Hodge said the report also revealed that cancellation of the aircraft carriers had been feasible.

"The report shows that cancelling one carrier in the long term would save £200m and cancelling both would deliver £1.2bn in savings over the same period," she said in a statement.

But BBC defence correspondent Caroline Wyatt said the MoD's own list of options contained in the report showed that would have meant accepting the demise of the UK's shipbuilding industry.

Dr Fox insisted that decisions made in the defence review put the carrier programme "back on track" while cutting the overall costs by more than £3bn.

Last November, the UK and France signed a defence treaty that agreed to share aircraft carrier resources by keeping at least one vessel at sea between the two countries at any one time.

Each will be able to use the other's carrier in some form for training and possibly for operations.

The SDSR in October 2010 outlined cuts of £4.7bn over four years.

The new carriers will replace the 22,000-tonne Invincible class aircraft carriers, HMS Invincible, HMS Illustrious and HMS Ark Royal.

HMS Invincible, mothballed in 2005, was put up for sale on a government internet auction website, while Ark Royal - the navy's flagship - was decommissioned in January and HMS Illustrious will be decommissioned in 2014.

Interesting - so as well as not having any fighters to put on the new CVs for a decade, they will have to completely reconfigure the decks, mount a catapault system, and take the ski jumps off the bows. And one will never put to sea.

These ships are turning into the new Millenium Dome.....

[Jadz]

I honestly fail to comprehend why govts feel the need to throw billions into the "defence" industry. At least the millenium dome has the potential to be put to good use. Of what use are hugely expensive carriers - other than to pretend Britannia still rules the waves?

[Robert]

Originally Posted by Jadz Of what use are hugely expensive carriers -

If the intention for HM Armed Forces is 'force projection' then they need platforms for air power, to protect the troopships and provide air support inland.

But we will sell off HMS Prince of Wales to the Indian Navy within a decade - mark my words. She won't even be kitted out and will sit in Portsmouth going rusty.

As is, HMS KGV has no planes to fly off her and won't until 2018.

[KingKhanWC]

The Whitehall spending watchdog pointed out the decision to make only one carrier with aircraft operational means the UK will only have a carrier at sea for between 150 and 200 days per year - meaning it will rely heavily on allies to fill the gap.

There you go, it's all about alliances now and also robot wars.