Government in U-turn over fighter planes
The government has changed its mind over the type of fighter planes it is ordering for the Royal Navy's new aircraft carrier, the BBC has learned.
David Cameron has signed off a decision to use the jump-jet variant of the US-built F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, as planned by the Labour government.
The coalition had wanted to switch to a variant using "catapults and traps" but costs are believed to have spiralled.
The government is expected to make the announcement on Thursday.
As part of its defence spending review in 2010, the government decided to "mothball" one of the two aircraft carriers ordered by Labour.
This followed a doubling of costs for the project.
And the coalition chose not to order the Short Take-Off, Vertical Landing variant of the Joint Strike Fighter, also known as the F-35B, for the carrier that would become operational.....................
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-18008171