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  • RN/MN Shipbuilding News

    French shipyards in line to build new Royal Navy aircraft carriers
    By Sylvia Pfeifer (Filed: 05/06/2005)


    French shipyards could end up building parts of Britain's new flagship aircraft carriers under proposals currently being examined by the Government and industry.



    The move would have huge political ramifications and the governments of both countries would have to be certain that the potential cost-benefits would outweigh the risks.

    Nevertheless, it is understood that John Coles, the new leader of the carriers' project team, has been looking into this possibility as part of his 100-day review of the programme. The review period ends on Friday and its conclusions are expected to be handed to ministers in the coming weeks.

    Under the plans, the French would carry out a third of the work on each of the three ships - two for Britain and one for France. British shipyards would construct the remaining two thirds. One yard could, for example, build the same blocks for each of the three carriers.

    "The studies are still going on. A key question is: will the French accept a design based on the UK carriers?" said one industry executive. "In principle, however, a third could be built in France and two thirds in the UK."

    A separate industry group - established after Britain and France agreed in principle last summer to co-operate on the carriers - has also been looking into whether some of the work should go to French shipyards.

    The carrier programme is high on the agenda for John Reid, the new secretary of state for defence, alongside the drawing up of a blueprint for consolidation of Britain's shipyards.

    In Britain, the two ships for the Royal Navy are being built by a unique industry alliance that includes BAE Systems, Thales, the French company, and VT Group.

    It is understood that the Ministry of Defence is privately admitting for the first time that the carriers will cost £3.5bn to build, more than its £2.9bn original budget estimate.

    "We're open to examining areas of mutual benefit [with the French] and looking at opportunities to deliver economies," said a spokesman for the MoD.

    Separately, BAE is understood to have submitted an unsolicited bid to the MoD to build five new Type 45 destroyers. The MoD is already contracted for six ships - in batches of three - but has yet to agree the price for the second batch with BAE. The company is believed to be arguing that building another five will be more cost effective.
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