Harrier, Nimrod and F-35B axed in huge UK defence cuts

Also to be chopped is the plan to acquire up to 138 F-35B STOVL versions of the F-35 JSF, with a smaller but as yet undefined number of the F-35C carrier variant, possibly as few as 36, will be acquired instead. Construction of the two new QEII class aircraft carriers will be slowed, with at least one of the vessels to be equipped with conventional catapults and arrestor gear to cater for the F-35Cs, and the other to be placed in “extended readiness”.

Plans to increase the RAF’s CH-47 Chinook fleet by 36 aircraft have been reduced to just 12 more new aircraft, while a prior commitment to upgrade the Puma helicopter fleet has been retained.

The SDSR also calls for the RAF’s C-130J (C.4) transport and the Raytheon R.1 Sentinel ISR fleets to be retired earlier than planned, for 22 A400M transports to be acquired, and for the 14 A330 based FSTA refuelling tankers on order to be retained. Also safe are the planned Navy and Army Lynx Wildcat helicopters, and the RAF’s Tornado GR.4 strike aircraft, although Tornado numbers are under review.

Some 42,000 jobs will be shed, comprising 25,000 civilian staff and 5000 uniformed personnel each from the RAF and RN, and 7000 from the Army. Tank numbers will be cut by 40 per cent and heavy artillery by 35 per cent, and the Navy’s frigate and destroyer fleet will shrink from 23 to 19.