December 16, 2010
The British government announced on Wednesday that it would scrap an aircraft carrier in 2014.
The vessel, HMS Illustrious, will be scrapped as part of cuts in military spending that will total 7.8 percent of the overall budget of the Ministry of Defense (MOD) over the coming four years, Defense Secretary Liam Fox told members of parliament here.
The budget cuts in military spending have already seen another aircraft carrier, HMS Ark Royal, which is Illustrious' sister ship, retired last week, several years earlier than originally planned.
Wednesday also marked the final operational flights of the British air force's Harrier jump jet, the only plane in service capable of flying off aircraft carriers. The entire Harrier fleet, with about 75 jets, is retiring early as part of the cuts in military spending announced in October.
As there is now no aircraft capable of flying off Illustrious, it will remain in service until 2014 as a helicopter carrier, a role which it will then pass on to HMS Ocean, which has escaped the cuts to carry out this role.
Britain has embarked on a program to build two large aircraft carriers at a cost of 5.2 billion pounds (about 8 billion U.S. dollars). Plans to cancel one or both aircraft carriers to save money were abandoned when it became clear it would cost more money to break the construction contracts, and would also result in thousands of job losses and shipyard closures.
The two carriers are now set for completion in 2020 and 2023, more than four years later than originally planned as a result of budget restraints.
Fox also announced that four frigates and three supply/support vessels will also be scrapped in 2011 to save money, earlier than intended.
British Government to Scrap Aircraft Carrier
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