Letter: Carrier contracts
Since the overall cost of these contracts (today 5.9 billion) is known and it is not a competitive contract, perhaps the government should publish the full details of them so taxpayers can see just why it is so difficult to get out of or modify them.
There are many other military-specification marine projects that could have replaced the second carrier, if not both. A transparent publication of the legal documents which tie the government to building what former defence secretary Michael Portillo called "white elephants", showing just why we are building ships - one of which is going to be permanently tied up -would clear up doubt about the veracity of the politician's statements.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdIt has also been stated the second would be fitted with "cats and traps" to let it use the slightly cheaper non-STOVL (short take-off and vertical landing) JSF35 and the aircraft of our EU partners. Perhaps the government could tell us how much extra that will add to the project.
Bruce D Skivington
Strath
Gairloch, Wester Ross