Government hopes to "share" new carriers with the

[may18]

MoD considers sharing new aircraft carriers

BRITAIN and France could link up to build two aircraft carriers which would be used by the armed forces of both countries to save money on defence budgets and increase the military co-operation between the two countries.

The extraordinary deal is one of a number of proposals being considered by the Ministry of Defence to enable it to cut costs and to maintain manpower within the British armed forces.

Sources say the decision has been taken to spare historic regiments when the results of a review are announced in the government’s white paper on defence in the next couple of weeks.

But that has left the ministry looking for somewhere else for the axe to fall, and the carrier project appears vulnerable.

Charles Heyman, the senior defence analyst for Jane’s Consultancy Group, said yesterday: "Most analysts believe that the current carrier project is going to be difficult to fit into the MoD’s long-term costing and that something is going to give.

"Recent defence market gossip suggests some sort of deal with the French is being considered; possibly one new carrier each within a bilateral defence agreement whereby, in the event of an emergency, the carrier available for operations (if only one is at sea) is made available to the other nation."

The British government had previously appeared keen to build two 50,000-tonne carriers, with the first due to go into service in 2012, followed by the second in 2015.

But the cost of the project, estimated at £2.9 billion, has raised question marks over the programme’s viability. With the Treasury keen to trim defence spending, the MoD has been faced with tough decisions on where the cuts should fall.

There has been speculation that some infantry regiments might face the axe, but military sources have suggested the stories are without foundation. Last week, the defence secretary, Geoff Hoon, appeared to rule out any such cuts.

With that money-saving ruled out, eyes have turned to the navy and the RAF. The RAF is expected to be told it will not get the third tranche of Eurofighters it had been expecting, but it is the aircraft carriers that offer the greatest opportunity for cost-cutting.

Last week it was suggested that Britain and France could co-operate on the building of carriers, using the same design to trim costs.

But the alternative proposal - which defence sources say has been given serious consideration - goes much further.

Under this plan Britain would build only one aircraft carrier while France would build the second. Both would be compatible with the French Dassault Rafale aircraft rather than the Joint Strike Fighter, which had been earmarked for the British carriers. The carriers could be used by the air and naval air forces of both countries.

Nicholas Soames, the shadow defence secretary, described the plans as a "lunatic suggestion".

"The British carriers are part of our strategy for expeditionary capabilities. It is simply not possible for Britain to operate in such a way with a country with which it finds itself so frequently at odds," he said.

Menzies Campbell, the Liberal Democrat’s foreign affairs spokesman and MP for North East Fife, said: "If these reports are true, they would represent a remarkable development in European defence co-operation.

"But previous experience with the French leads one to believe that such arrangements, while desirable in principle, could be very difficult in practice."

http://www.thescotsman.co.uk/index.cfm?id=1327342003

[Spannerman]

Sssssssoooooo in GW3 which is the British half that would go to the Gulf region and which would be the French half to stay in Euro waters?

[Chris]

I don't think it will happen we should agree to it but then steele them both

[spitz]

Which half would we have to sink when the French capitulated?

Anyway the French are too arrogant, when Churchill offered them a Union between Britain and France in WW2 they refused. They decided to be a conquered nation rather than an occupied territory of a larger Anglo/French union. And how many RN personnel are prepared to learn French? because the Frencies sure as hell won’t be prepared to operate them carriers if they have to do it using English. Laughable.

[barryc]

The very thought of committing ourselves that far and having to trust the French is somewhat worrisome. The French people as individuals can be really pleasant, as a Nation?, no thanks or Non Merci if you insist.

Barry

[goffer]

Reported in this months Navy News is the announcement that The Queen has ok'd the names for the two new carriers :

HMS Queen Elizabeth

HMS Prince Of Wales

I'm sure the French would love either of those names!

On another note if we did have to "share" I wouldn't want to be the person to tell the Queen that she couldn't have one of her warships. Seems to me that the RN has quite tactically "got in quick" with the names, to make it politically harder to reverse the decision.

p.s.

phew thats the first post out of the way!

[mercury]

Do they mean share the carriers or the costs of development and tooling up for construction ?

[Tab]

The Labour slashed the TA when it came into power and they said the money saved would go towards the New Carriers, since that time they have slashed ships from the RN, cut the RAF, and have started cutting the Army again and as to yet not a nut or bolt has been ordered.

[Tazzers]

Whats this? Rumour control HQ? Well if it is I have heard that France might be interested in buying one of their own and sharing in the development costs because they are having an awful lot of trouble with their one and only carrier Charles de Gaulle. Rumours are rife, the White Paper will be published within a week so we can bust a spleen then.

[Jason The Argonaut]

But previous experience with the French leads one to believe that such arrangements, while desirable in principle, could be very difficult in practice."

I mean just look at Euro Fighter that was thought of in the 80's, meant to be built in the 90's. It's 2003 and there is still no sign of it, these joint ventures in my view a waste of money.

[spitz]

Tazzers is right, I’ve seen a report saying the French may buy an extra carrier which would reduce the cost of the two for the RN. Looks like the French want to quietly dispose themselves of the De Gaulle because of all the problems they’ve had with it.

[mattt_h]

should be ok british can use it to lug to troops to war the french can use it on the return journey to run away

[Aldo]

I mean just look at Euro Fighter that was thought of in the 80's, meant to be built in the 90's. It's 2003 and there is still no sign of it, these joint ventures in my view a waste of money.

I agree. Where has the faith in British ingenuity gone? I know it would be expensive but probobly not much more than the Typhoon is going to cost plus we could make it to our specifications not some Germans or French or whoever. I'd like to see Britain start to stand on it's own to feet again without holding the hands of it's neighbours, they don't call us great for nothing, I'm going to stop now before I break into a chorus of Rule Britannia byeeee