The MoD has given the green light for the building of two ‘super’ Royal Navy aircraft carriers.

BAE Systems and VT Group are to work together as part of a consortium selected to build two ‘super’ Royal Navy aircraft carriers, after the £4 billion project was given the go-ahead by the UK Ministry of Defence on Tuesday (20 May).

The joint venture, to be formed primarily of BAE Systems and VT Group, will also include support from British company Babcock and France’s Thales UK.

The new 65,000 tonne carriers will carry up to 40 aircraft each, and will be the biggest and most powerful surface warships ever constructed in the UK. They will be built in shipyards in Portsmouth, Barrow-in-Furness, Glasgow and Rosyth, with around 10,000 workers employed at the peak of construction.

Planned to be named HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales, they will enter service in 2014 and 2016 respectively and will remain in the fleet for around 50 years.

Secretary of State for Defence, Des Browne, commented: “The two aircraft carriers will provide our front line forces with the modern, world-class capabilities they will need over the coming decades. They will support peace-keeping and conflict prevention as well as our strategic operational priorities.”

First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Sir Jonathon Band added: “These ships with their aircraft will transform the UK’s defence capabilities when they enter service, delivering air power in support of the full range of future operations at sea, in the air and on land.”

For more details, click here

By Natasha Piscitelli