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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Firms scoop £4bn carrier contract | Firms scoop £4bn carrier contract |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The Ministry of Defence is set to sign a £4bn deal to build two aircraft carriers in the UK in a move expected to secure at least 4,500 jobs. | The Ministry of Defence is set to sign a £4bn deal to build two aircraft carriers in the UK in a move expected to secure at least 4,500 jobs. |
| HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales will be built by a consortium to be formed between BAE Systems and its rival, VT Group. | |
| The MoD said that the plans would be put to parliament later. | The MoD said that the plans would be put to parliament later. |
| The project is long-awaited having been first announced in 2003, but then put off due to the MoD's spending plans. | The project is long-awaited having been first announced in 2003, but then put off due to the MoD's spending plans. |
| The 65,000-tonne carriers are due to enter service in 2014 and 2016. | The 65,000-tonne carriers are due to enter service in 2014 and 2016. |
| Each is likely to carry 36 fighter jets as well as four early warning aircraft. | Each is likely to carry 36 fighter jets as well as four early warning aircraft. |
| Alex Ashbourne of Ashbourne Strategic Consulting said the deal would be "the cornerstone of British shipbuilding for probably the next 30 to 40 years". | Alex Ashbourne of Ashbourne Strategic Consulting said the deal would be "the cornerstone of British shipbuilding for probably the next 30 to 40 years". |
| "It's thought that manufacturing is dead in the UK, but not in the shipbuilding sector," Ms Ashbourne added. | "It's thought that manufacturing is dead in the UK, but not in the shipbuilding sector," Ms Ashbourne added. |
| The joint venture between BAE Systems and VT Group will both build and support the ships from the firm's respective shipyards. | |
| Major sections of the ships will be built in Portsmouth and Scotland - with final assembly at Rosyth. | |
| "There's no denying that the defence budget is under immense pressure and these do not come cheap," Ms Ashbourne added. | "There's no denying that the defence budget is under immense pressure and these do not come cheap," Ms Ashbourne added. |
| "The MoD had to form an innovative alliance with industry to try and de-risk the program and make sure it was as cost-effective as possible for the UK tax-payer." | "The MoD had to form an innovative alliance with industry to try and de-risk the program and make sure it was as cost-effective as possible for the UK tax-payer." |