UK carrier plans questioned: Britain may be without operational carrier until 2030

摘要

ACCORDING to a report published in November by the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee (PAC), the two future British aircraft carriers will cost more and be available far later than anticipated, despite government plans to save ￡4.4 billion on the project over 10 years. The report warned that the single operational carrier may not achieve full capability until 2030. HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales were saved in the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) because it was deemed more costly to cancel the projects than proceed with them. However, the Prince of Wales will be mothballed and kept as a reserve vessel, while Queen Elizabeth is expected to go into service around 2020.