Ministry of Defence
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Defence Secretary gets update on aircraft carrier project
Michael Fallon visited Scotland to see the progress being made in building the UK's Queen Elizabeth Class (QEC) aircraft carriers.
While visiting the Aircraft Carrier Alliance, in Rosyth, Mr Fallon met with the project team to discuss the build progress of the second carrier, HMS Prince of Wales.
HMS Queen Elizabeth, which was formally named by Her Majesty the Queen in July this year, is currently being fitted out in Rosyth dockyard before arriving in Portsmouth.
Assembly of HMS Prince of Wales is also well underway. Speaking from the flight deck of HMS Queen Elizabeth, Mr Fallon said:
I came here to see for myself that the project is on track and on time to give Britain carrier strike capability, with HMS Queen Elizabeth operating with new F-35 planes by 2020.
These carriers will spearhead Britain’s sea power for the next 50 years, keeping the nation safe at home and protecting our interests abroad.
These magnificent ships are testament to the skill of the British shipbuilding industry and have created jobs not only in Rosyth and Scotland but across the UK. Our investment demonstrates the Government’s commitment that UK warships are only built in UK shipyards.
Work on the QEC carriers has created or sustained around 8,000 highly skilled jobs.
In Scotland alone, the QEC work has helped to directly support some 4,000 jobs and hundreds of apprentices at the Rosyth and Clyde shipyards.
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