Most of UK carrier’s jets will be American
THe Royal Navy’s flagship aircraft carrier will set o ut o n i ts f irst o perational m ission w ith m ore US than British warplanes on board, under plans b eing e xamined b y defence chiefs.
HMS Queen elizabeth could deploy with as many as 20 US f-35 jets and just 16 UK f-35s under one scenario, defence sources told the Daily Mail.
TheMinistryofDefenceisexpected to rely on US jets to fill a gap in numbers because it has been too slow to buy its own f-35s.
The final tally for how many f-35s will deploy with the £3.2billion R osyth-built c arrier nextyearhavenotyetbeendecided, but there will be a maximum of 36 on board.
Adefencesourcesaid:‘USMarineCorpsjetswillmakeup the numbers – around 20.’ Plans for the carrier to deploy with some US jets are longstanding, but it was not clear how many the UK would be relying on.
It comes as a major defence
‘An excuse to cut numbers’
review takes place, with discussions on whether the UK should only buy half its target of 138 f-35s.
The UK has so far agreed to buy 48 by the end of 2025 for £9.1billion. But there are concerns that the Government is preparing to buy as few as 70 in to total.
Tobias ellwood, chairman of the defence select committee, saidthecarriermustnotbeturned into a ‘multi-national’ ship a nd t he M oD h ad t o o rder more jets. He said: ‘Are we setting a precedent which is then an e xcuse f or N umber 1 0 t o c ut numbers? We need an independent c arrier s trike c apability – that is paramount.’
An MoD spokesman said: ‘British jets will always lead UK carrier deployments. Training with our US allies speeds u p o ur a bility t o d eploy operationally.’
The aircraft carrier isexpected to set sail on its first deployment in May next year.
Yesterday departure of the ship f rom P ortsmouth o n t raining exercises was delayed for a second day in a row after sailors tested positive for Covid19. I t i s d ue t o s ail t oday.
A M oD s pokesman s aid ‘ fewer thanten’ofthe1,000-strongcrew had tested positive and had gone ashore. Those who had c ontact w ith t hem w ill i solate o n b oard. I n A pril t he s hip had to delay sailing after two sailors t ested p ositive.