Aircraft carriers’ cost to rise to £6.2bn

Britain will this week reveal another substantial increase in the cost of building its two new aircraft carriers, declaring that total funding for the programme will rise by another £800m to £6.2bn.

Philip Hammond, defence secretary, is expected to say that a new set of demands – including the need to build a sophisticated aircraft landing system on the ships – have added to the financial burden of the Royal Navy’s flagship project.

The revised price tag for the 65,000 ton carriers – which will not operate until the end of this decade – will alarm some opposition MPs.

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