In response to a question asked by Kevan Jones, MP for North Durham, it has been revealed that a Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carrier costs £96 million per year to operate.

Kevan Jones, MP for North Durham, asked:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate his Department has made of the cost of operating each aircraft carrier each year.”

Jeremy Quin, Minister of State for the Ministry of Defence, responded explaining he would write to Jones.

In order to ensure a full response I will write to the right. Hon Member.”

Quin later sent the following in a letter in response to Mr Jones.

“The estimated cost to the Royal Navy of a Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carrier is £96M per annum.”

It is likely that the above figure is simply the cost to operate the ship with the air wing being an additional expense.

For perspective, a 1998 U.S. GAO report estimated the 50 year direct operating cost of a Nimitz class carrier at $11.7 billion, or about $234 million per year.

Background

The origins of the massive and sometimes controversial Queen Elizabeth class carrier programme lie in the 1998 Strategic Defence Review.

The review re-evaluated every weapon system (active or in procurement) with the exception of the Eurofighter Typhoon and the Vanguard-class ballistic missile submarines.

The report identified that aircraft carriers offered the following:

  • Ability to operate offensive aircraft abroad when foreign basing may be denied.
  • All required space and infrastructure; where foreign bases are available they are not always available early in a conflict and infrastructure is often lacking.
  • A coercive and deterrent effect when deployed to a trouble spot.

The report concluded:

“The emphasis is now on increased offensive air power, and an ability to operate the largest possible range of aircraft in the widest possible range of roles. When the current carrier force reaches the end of its planned life, we plan to replace it with two larger vessels.”

You can read more by clicking here or visiting the link below.

A guide to the Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers

 

George Allison
George has a degree in Cyber Security from Glasgow Caledonian University and has a keen interest in naval and cyber security matters and has appeared on national radio and television to discuss current events. George is on Twitter at @geoallison

24 COMMENTS

    • With an operational lifespan of up to 50yrs and the uncertainty of a future Government that is wholeheartedly behind the Armed forces we will have to wait and see .Both carriers project a Britain that has something to be proud of .l for one doesn’t want to see carriers deploying without their AirArm , like one politician suggested Vanguard class deploying without Trident our future security outweighs politicians bemoaning defence spending

    • It’s a bargain compared to the Nimitz, supposedly 80% of the capability (sorties per day) for half the cost?

    • Would be interesting to know what is and is not included in the #96m. I can imagine that some ‘indirect’ operating costs are excluded. Piloting, berthing, port fees…possibly ongoing engineering / maintenance studies and planning etc. If a full like for like comparison with US CV operating costs was to be performed you would probably include (as a direct opex) a share of the cost for one of the oilers as part of the non nuclear equation. (Would there be only 1 x oiler as part of CSG21 for example rather than 2 ?)

      Nonetheless fantastic value for the capability the vessels provide.

  1. Interesting they only cost 2 or 3 times as much as a type 45. Same old story size of a ship has very little relationship to cost. Hope everyone in parliament is paying attention.

  2. I just had to pass on this brilliant RN fleet air arm fail….RN lands rotor in school field somewhere in the county… school children spend about 30mins all looking at rotor and taking videos pictures ect. School send out message to parents some hours later……“ the RN has asked us to ask all parents to delete any pictures taken by the children and to not share them on social media……horse stable bolted……

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