The Airbus A400M is not the only one late, the Type 45 destroyer too
(BRUXELLES2) The British plan to re-employ Type 42 anti-aircraft destroyers has taken on water. At least, that's what a report from the National Audit Office (NAO), the British Court of Auditors, shows on the future Type 45 destroyer. This program, launched in the 2000s when the United Kingdom had decided to withdraw of the Franco-Italian program, has fallen behind by more than two years, and a serious increase in the budget.
Operational delay
The vessels will thus only be in service at the earliest between December 2009 (date hoped by the Ministry) and November 2010, ie 36 months behind schedule. But, according to the British Ministry of Defence, the ships will not be fully operational until the middle of the next decade. The PAAMS anti-missile system will not be operational on board until mid-2011 and the US "CEC" (Co-operative Engagement Capability) combat communications system - which provides a clear image of space and improving the ability to undertake operations, particularly in close coalition with the Americans - will only be done in 2014.
30% increase
The financial slippage is around 30% of the initial budget. The current cost is £6,46 billion against an initial budget of £5 billion (+£1,5 billion). According to the report (à download here), the problems stem from over-optimism about what could be achieved, inappropriate business deals and weak project management. The contract was also renegotiated in 2007 with the industrialist BAE systems, which merged with VT (becoming BVT). This solved some problems. Added to this cost is that of the extension of the Type 42 destroyers (£195 million), a cost which is not additional according to the British Ministry because Defense should have provided operational costs for the new destroyers. But the Ministry is unable to assess these costs with certainty, say the auditors.
Type 45 destroyers have more capacity for simultaneous response to an attack from missiles and planes, they can operate with Lynx, Merlin and Chinook helicopters, have more powerful engines... They can also be equipped with the new anti-missile system, developed in common with the Italians and the French (PAAMS).
(NGV)
