BAe yard set to build carrier blocks

The 2,800 workers at BAe?s Barrow shipyard have been told that it is more than likely they will build blocks of up to 10,000 tonnes for the Royal Navy?s future aircraft carriers.

The final go ahead for the £2.9bn carriers has still to be agreed by the UK?s government and the share out has to be decided between contractors, including BAe and French owned Thales. Several yards will build parts of the 60,000 tonne ships. A 100-day review of the carrier project for the government is expected to be completed this week.