British Defence Secretary, Philip Hammond has announced that plans to deliver Carrier Strike capability will now be executed using a different type of Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) jet than was planned.
The MOD will move away from the Carrier Variant (CV) JSF and will instead operate the short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) variant JSF.
"The 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) decision on carriers was right at the time, but the facts have changed and therefore so too must our approach,” Hammond said.
“This Government will not blindly pursue projects and ignore cost growth and delays.
"Carrier Strike with 'cats and traps' using the Carrier Variant jet no longer represents the best way of delivering Carrier Strike and I am not prepared to tolerate a three-year further delay to reintroducing our Carrier Strike capability.
"This announcement means we remain on course to deliver Carrier Strike in 2020 as a key part of our Future Force 2020."
The STOVL aircraft has made significant progress since the SDSR was published over 18 months ago and the US Marine Corps has conducted successful STOVL flights from their ships.
The UK will receive the first STOVL aircraft in the coming months, as HMS Queen Elizabeth is due to arrive for sea trials in early 2017, UK STOVL flight trials will begin off the carrier from 2018.