Defence cuts: Carrier ‘fully operational in 2030’
Britain may be without a fully operational aircraft carrier until 2030, according to a report published by the Commons spending watchdog.
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) says two carriers being built will cost more, offer less military capability and be ready much later than planned.
It says the Royal Navy will be without a carrier until 2020, which may not be fully operational until 2030.
The PAC also says the cost of scaling back the carriers is not fully known.
The committee said the adjustments made to the vessels meant just £600m cash savings and some costs would not be known for 12 months.
The government says it expects to save £4.4bn over 10 years on the programme.
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.
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