Future Aircraft Carrier (CVF)

Following a requirement stated in the Strategic Defence Review for a new larger class of aircraft carrier, as a replacement for the three existing Invincible class ships, the CVF was conceived.

In January 2003, the Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon announced that the Royal Navy's new generation of aircraft carriers will be designed and built by an alliance between the Ministry of Defence and BAE Systems/Thales UK. KBR have subsequently joined this alliance in the role of Project Integrator

The two vessels, will be the largest and most powerful surface warships ever built in the UK. The reduction in hull numbers is to be achieved through modern build and support techniques, which will dispense with the need for long refit periods and will allow required availability to be achieved from only 2 hulls.

CVF will be a Joint Defence Asset, and will focus specifically on Joint Force 2000 enabling operations from forces of all 3 services to contribute to sea, land and air battles. Lessons learnt from the successful build and early operating experience of HMS Ocean will be incorporated in the CVF programme.

The ship build strategy will examine the potential for involvement of UK shipyards and will be determined on a value for money basis, in conjunction to consideration of the capability, capacity and resources of UK industry to meet the full range of planned naval programmes. It is anticipated that CVF will create or sustain around 10,000 jobs in the United Kingdom.

'CVF will be the principal platform for the RN/RAF Future Joint Combat Aircraft (FJCA) which will replace RN and RAF Harriers; the FJCA role will be filled by the STOVL (short take off vertical landing) variant of the Lockheed Martin F35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF). The CVF Carrier Air Group (CAG) will also include the Maritime Airborne Surveillance & Control system to provide sensor coverage against air and surface threats, together with command and control for other air operations. CVF will be capable of supporting the operation of helicopters in a wide variety of roles that could include anti-submarine warfare, attack and support.

In order to maximise the flexibility that CVF can offer over its potential 50 year service life, the carriers will be built to an innovative adaptable design. Although CV-based, the ships will initially be fitted with a ramp for STOVL operations. Post JSF, the design will be capable of modification to operate aircraft requiring a catapult launch and arrested recovery.

Although the final dimensions of CVF have yet to be confirmed, initial indications suggest that the carriers could be the largest warships ever built for the Royal Navy. The base port will be Portsmouth, Hampshire.