John Denham has welcomed the announcement by Defence Secretary Des Brown of the go-ahead to form a joint venture to build  two new super aircraft carriers. 

The two aircraft carriers will provide our front line forces with the modern, world-class capabilities they will need over the coming decades. They will support peace-keeping and conflict prevention as well as our strategic operational priorities

The future carriers will provide an important military capability and will sustain many jobs - around 10,000 at the peak of production.

Labour MP John Denham said “This is good news for Southampton.  Although VT has moved from Woolston because of the lack of space for expansion, many people from Southampton travel to work at its Portsmouth base and this will secure many jobs for years.  I have had discussions with VT and know how important this project is to their future.”

The carriers, to be named HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH and HMS PRINCE OF WALES, will be the biggest and most powerful surface warships ever constructed in the UK. Once they enter service in 2014 and 2016 respectively they are expected to remain in the fleet for up to fifty years.

The joint venture formed by BAE Systems and VT Group will be a key member of the Aircraft Carrier Alliance of companies which will construct and assemble the new carriers at shipyards in Portsmouth, Barrow-in-Furness, Glasgow and Rosyth.