英國, 차기 항공모함 건조 축소 가능성...

 

영국이 총액 약 50억파운드 (77억불) 규모로 건조중인 2척의 Queen Elizabeth 級 차기 항공모함 중, 1척을 취소하는 것을

검토하고 있다는 로이터 통신 기사를 소개합니다.

 

지난 5월 새로이 출범한 영국 보수당 (연립) 정권은 Strategic Defence Review (SDR) 를 구성하여, 그 동안 노동당 정권

에서 추진되어온 각종 국방정책 및 무기도입 사업에 대한 재검토 작업을 진행하고 있습니다. 이러한 과정에서 작년 이후

발생된 유럽발 금융위기로 인해 국가 전체적으로 예산 압박을 받고 있는 영국 정부가 국방예산에 대한 감축/축소를 검토

하는 과정에서 차기 항모 도입사업을 재고(再考) 하는 것으로 이해되는 기사입니다.

 

아래 기사에 의하면, 영국 정부가 차기 항모 건조의 주 계약사인 BAE Systems 사에 대해서 1척을 취소 혹은 축소 건조

등을 포함한 여러 가능성을 타진 하였다는 내용입니다. 또한 2024년경으로 예정된 Trident 급 핵추진 잠수함을 대체하는

차기 핵추진 잠수함 건조 계획에 대한 수정 가능성도 언급하고 있습니다.

 

이러한 영국 정부의 입장에 대해서, BAE Systems 社의 공식 입장은 즉각 알려지지 않았습니다만, 일단 BAE Systems

社는 차기 항모 도입으로 발생되는 막대한 규모의 운용유지비를 사업 축소라는 방법으로 절감하고자 하는 영국 정부의

계획에 동의하고, 상대적으로 저비용으로 가능한 Eurofighter Typhoon 의 성능개량사업 혹은 무인기/무인전투기 개발

로의 전환을 희망하는 것으로 알려지고 있습니다.

 

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British govt weighs scrapping carrier programme

Wed, Sep 8 2010

 

* BAE asked to look at alternatives to new aircraft carriers

* Defence group chief: one option is to cancel new carriers

 

By Rhys Jones

 

LONDON, Sept 8 (Reuters) 一 British defence firms have been asked by the government to consider scrapping the UK's aircraft carrier programme and are concerned about the new National Security Council's role in decisions on defence spending cuts.

 

"We are contractually committed (to deliver) two carriers but we have been asked to look at a number of options over the last week," Ian King, BAE Systems' (BAES.L: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) chief executive, told parliament's defence committee on Wednesday.

 

Those options include building just one aircraft carrier or none at all and replacing the contract with another defence programme of equivalent value, he added.

 

A consortium including BAE Systems, Thales (TCFP.PA: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) and Babcock (BAB.L: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) has been building two aircraft carriers for Britain at a cost of over 5 billion pounds ($7.7 billion).

 

A senior defence ministry source told Reuters last month that Britain may cancel one or both of its new aircraft carriers to cut costs. [ID:nLDE67I1I1]

 

BAE has also been asked to "look at the timing" around replacements for the submarines that carry Trident, Britain's nuclear weapons system which is due to be renewed or replaced by around 2024, King said. Britain is reviewing its defence budget as part of a broader move to cut a record peacetime budget deficit, details of which will be unveiled on Oct. 20.

 

Analysts believe a review of defence needs will lead to cuts of up to 15 percent in the defence budget -- 36.9 billion pounds for the current financial year -- with big procurement programmes set to be scaled back.

 

BAE's King told the committee he was worried about the role being played by Britain's new National Security Council (NSC) in making decisions on cuts to defence spending.

 

The NSC was set up in May by the new coalition government to coordinate the efforts of government departments and agencies to safeguard British security. The body is made up of senior ministers, military chiefs and the heads of the secret service.

 

"Our engagement is with the Ministry of Defence, we don't have any official engagement with the National Security Council," said King. He answered "yes" when asked if he was concerned that a new body was playing such an important role in making decisions on defence spending.

 

British defence firms are concerned that spending cuts will be made without considering the UK's Defence Industrial Strategy -- a government policy designed to ensure the armed forces are provided with the equipment they require.

 

"We hope decisions on spending are policy-led," said Sandy Wilson, president and managing director of the British business of U.S. defence contractor General Dynamics (GD.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz). "Cuts need to have a strong strategy around them."

 

(Editing by Andrew Roche)

 

© Thomson Reuters 2010. All rights reserved.

 

 

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