Navy aircraft carrier plans hit by further delays The decision to scrap the Harrier fleet means that Britain will have no carrier aircraft capability between 2011 and 2020. The next aircraft carrier, the Queen Elizabeth will not be operational for another eight years. However, fears have been raised that further delays could result from it. Jim Murphy, Labour's shadow defence secretary, wrote to Mr Hammond last night, demanding urgent assurances on the future of the Joint Strike Fighter programme. "There are increasing fears in the United States and in other countries that the proposed programme for aircraft for our new aircraft carriers will not be completed to time and on budget," he said. There are real worries that time and money may have been wasted. It is vital that there is now clarity on the Government's plans for this vital area of the defence equipment programme. The F-35C Joint Strike Fighters were chosen as the MoD's preferred aircraft to replace the Harrier jet because it would be easy to operate from aircraft carriers belonging to military allies of the UK. The planes are being built in America with expertise from Britain and other partner countries. However, the "carrier variant" of the F-35s require modifications to be made to aircraft carriers, including fitting them with catapults and arrestor gear for take-off and landing. When a fighter lands on a carrier the arrestor cable catches a hook attached to the aircraft, preventing it from overshooting and ditching into the sea. Early trials of the model caused major concerns in the United States after the hook design was found to be flawed. In January, it was reported that Pentagon documents found that a design flaw in the fighter had caused eight simulated landings to fail. The cost of the programme is likely to increase after the Pentagon postponed orders for 179 planes for five years to allow more testing. These delays and pressure to rein in spending at the MoD are believed to have contributed to the decision to review the British orders for the jets. Development of the fighter is being jointly funded by Britain, the US, Italy, Australia, Denmark, Norway, Turkey, Canada and the Netherlands. Military sources said the early design problems were not the major cause of the review. Mr Murphy added: "It is now time for a full and public explanation of Government plans in order to give the defence community and the country confidence," he said. The US government then decided to delay its order for the carrier variant jets and instead invest in the alternative model, which features a short take-off and vertical landing capability. There have also been reports that Australia and Canada are reconsidering their investment in the carrier-variant model of the jets. The Defence Equipment Minister, Peter Luff, confirmed to MPs that the uncertainty meant that the cost of the British order was likely to rise, adding that "the honest answer is that we do not know" how much the final bill will be. In 2010, France and Britain signed a defence and security co-operation treaty in which the two countries agreed to share weapons and equipment, including aircraft carriers. Work is already underway, with British pilots learning French in preparation for deployment on France's aircraft carrier. MoD sources said the carrier variant of the JSF was easier than the vertical landing model to deploy from French and American aircraft carriers. However, design difficulties are not thought to be insurmountable. A spokesman for the MoD said no decision had been taken on the future of the programme but insisted that ministers are "committed" to a new "carrier strike capability" from around 2020. "We are currently finalising the 2012-13 budget and balancing the equipment plan," the spokesman said. As part of this process we are reviewing all programmes, including elements of the carrier strike programme, to validate costs and ensure risks are properly managed. The Defence Secretary expects to announce the outcome of this process to Parliament before Easter.