Flying into trouble

The arrival in Britain this week of the first batch of operational F-35B Lightning II fighters is a timely reminder that there are pressing policy issues apart from Brexit that are worthy of the Government’s attention. At a basic unit cost of around £100 million, the F-35B is the most expensive fighter ever built, and its stealth technology will be a vital component in future combat operations. So far, the Government has committed to purchasing 48 of them, the bare minimum required to equip the new Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers, the first of which is due to become operational by 2020.

The severe financial pressure on the defence budget, though, is causing ministers to reassess whether to press ahead with the commitment, set out in the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review, to buy another 90 fighters. Gavin Williamson, the Defence Secretary, is said to favour instead buying new and cheaper Typhoon Eurofighters. While saving money, such a move could cause a serious imbalance in our defence strategy, as it would degrade the new carriers’ war-fighting capabilities, as the Eurofighter is not suitable for carrier operations.

Such debates are the inevitable consequence of the Government’s unwise fixation on reducing defence spending at a time when the global threat has never been more challenging. To make our Armed Forces credible, the Government needs to make the funds available to cover the cost of upgrading the military so it has the capability to meet future challenges from countries like Russia and China. Theresa May is said to be planning to invest extra funds in the NHS. Perhaps she should consider doing the same with the defence budget.