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New fighter force at risk in defence cutbacks
Robert Fox, Defence Correspondent14.10.08
THE Government is to announce massive cuts in defence spending in the wake of the global economic crisis, insiders revealed today.
Sources claim that a severe round of cuts on major programmes is expected within months as it tries to plug a £1.5billion shortfall in the defence budget. The revelation comes ahead of a major two-day conference on defence procurement at the Queen Elizabeth Conference Centre, in Westminster, starting today.
John Hutton, the new Defence Secretary, has been told he must adopt a more realistic budget and warned he cannot put off a major defence and security review until after the next election. "The budget is bust, and the cupboard bare," said Professor Gwyn Prins, a strategic analyst at the LSE. "Something has to give."
Experts warn the purchases most at risk surround two 65,000-tonne aircraft carriers, the Prince of Wales and Queen Elizabeth II, costing around £4 billion, which are due to be completed by 2014 and 2016. Funding for the carriers is secure but Britain is considering pulling out of a £9 billion project with America to produce new fighter planes, which will fly off the carriers.
Britain has ordered 150 of the Lockheed Martin F-35 joint strike fighter planes but experts warn that long delays on the project and soaring costs could scupper the deal.
Reader views (11)
so why not convert the eurofighter to land on carriers???
- William, sydney, australia
Darren,
Get a girlfriend !!
- Chris, London
Normally when in recession a Govt spends to provide employment and that includes defence, by all means cancel JSF (the US has the whip hand anyway) but no doubt they'll stiff us in penalties, but for goodness sake counter that by buying more ships & other kit, which provide real jobs to UK cos (mostly), protects our skill base and gives us the means to defend the vital sea lanes so vital to our national well being.
- Simon, Oxon
You can bet your bottom dollar that they will use this excuse to now forego buying new vehicles for Afghanistan; but they had better not, because as a mother of a soldier serving in Helmand, I want my son and his mates protected. After all,they too have human rights and it's the government's duty to provide the VERY BEST of protection AT ALL TIMES!!!!! I hope your listening Mr Brown and take note!!
- Maureen Cohen, London UK
I suggest a much simpler solution while we here in Britain are hit by financial problems. Cut the overseas aid to ZERO and abolish the ministry of overseas development headed by Brown;s crony Doug Alexander. this minsitery is beefed with billions of funds to give Doug Alexander the 'gravitas'. When our poor pensioners are suffering what is the fun in dishing out millions to Africa and to its dictators, and even to India where the largest number of billionaires outside America reside.
- Samson, LONDON
Surely they can find a few WWII vintage airplanes somewhere, maybe a couple of bi-planes too, who knows! All is not lost (I'm sure they can find even more ways to screw things up before they're booted out).
- Rogan, Irving
Wonder what else will be cut? Since saxon has been replaced by FV432's and 3 former mechanised Bn's are now light infantry. It would appear that there is no requirement for a New wheeled armoured personel carrier. Probably as well as the budget has been used to buy Theatre specific vehicles for Afghanistan and Iraq. The F35 probably will never meet the UK's expectations since the STOVl variant is the least likely to go into production when the US cuts its budgets back.
- Darren, York,Yorkshire
Well to begin with cut foreign programs like the JSF (we can buy later) but let's not kill our own industry please.
- Leslie Fox, Amsterdam
The U.K. HAS NOT ordered the F-35 yet. They are currently what is called a JSF Team Member. The U.K. has invested some development money. However they have not decided to order the jet yet.
- Eric Palmer, Australia
The perfect labour weapon system - aircraft carriers without aircraft. A defence review is now due; apparently the war in Afghanistan must be won (Gordon Brown) so resources must be found to sustain the effort there. The government must then be honest with the electorate about what else can be done - not much apparently. So with Russia and China resurgent we are being left increasingly defenceless and unable to participate even in coalition operations. Brilliant.
- Peter Haldane, London
Well well cut everything now suddenly but yesterday they gave billions of punds to private companies to bail banks out... after 10 years of living beyond our UK means. Nu Labor go away!!
- Georgie, Islington, London
