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Bullet pointBullet pointBullet point   Britain signs deal for biggest aircraft carriers ever   Bullet pointBullet pointBullet point

Adapted from a Telegraph.co.uk articles: Thursday 3 & 4 July 2008

  Computer impression of the carriers
 
A computer impression of how the carriers will look

Contracts to build two aircraft carriers - Britain's biggest ever - have now been signed.

The Queen Elizabeth and the Prince of Wales will be built in Scotland and Cumbria. They will be similar in size to the QE2 and are more than three times the size of the existing Invincible-class carriers.

The Navy regards the new carriers as its future flagships to replace Ark Royal and Illustrious. At first the ships will carry the ageing Harrier jump jet before switching to the new Joint Strike Fighter aircraft once it becomes ready.

The MoD's decision to press ahead with the carriers - which could end up costing £4 billion - has caused controversy. It has a £1 billion hole in its budget and some fear the Navy will struggle to provide enough frigates, destroyers and submarines to protect the carriers.

Defence chiefs have also faced criticism over spending so much on the carriers at a time when troops in Iraq and Afghanistan are severely overstretched. However, First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Jonathon Band insisted that all three forces' heads were agreed on the deal.


Factfile  
  • The 65,000-tonne ships will be nine decks deep
  • The flight decks are the size of three football pitches
  • They will carry a crew of about 1,500 and up to 40 aircraft
  • The carriers will be 280m (920ft) long and 70m (230ft) wide at flight deck level
  • They will carry 8,600 tonnes of fuel and 1,000 tonnes of food
  • The anchors weigh almost as much as a double-decker bus
  • Due to come into service between 2014 and 2016.
  


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