I can announce today that the National Security Council has agreed not to proceed with the “cats and traps” conversion, but to complete both carriers in STOVL configuration. This will give us the ability to use both carriers to provide continuous carrier availability - at a net additional operating cost averaging about £60M per year. As we set out in the SDSR, a final decision on the use of the second carrier will be taken as part of SDSR 2015.
We will switch the order for JSF aircraft from CV to STOVL, which we can do without delaying delivery and, by making this announcement today, we can plan on the basis of the first operational aircraft being delivered with a UK weapons fit package.
I've worried that the F-35B might be cancelled. And if that happens, we won't have jump jets to fly off of our amphibious warfare ships once our Harriers wear out. And if we can't deploy jets, the amphibs can't function in a secondary small carrier role.
If a major partner has committed to the B version, it makes it more likely that we will complete the plane and buy it ourselves. Without Britain, we might have "saved" money by canceling the plane altogether.
Britain didn't decide to equip 2 carriers (their carriers). They decided to equip 2 plus however many America class LHAs we build plus our older amphibious carriers (a dozen, or so?).
Thank you, Britain, for choosing the F-35B.
UPDATE: The British military justifies their decision.
