Giant carrier deals to be signed

The Ministry of Defence is expected to sign contracts for the creation of the UK's biggest ever aircraft carriers. The 65,000-ton ships, HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales, will cost a total of £4bn. Work on the two vessels is to go to shipyards at Govan in Glasgow and Rosyth in Fife, as well as Barrow in Furness and Portsmouth. The ships - 280 metres long and capable of carrying up to 40 planes - are due in service in 2014 and 2016. Each ship will be a similar size to the ocean liner, the QE2, with a flight deck the size of three football pitches. HMS ELIZABETH AND HMS PRINCE... [read full story]