Capital Costs Of Royal Navy Re-Equipment

The following is a list of the procurement cost (actual or forecast) of Royal Navy's major equipment programs.

These procurement projects are spread over a period of around 40 years.

£15,000 Million - £20,000 Million                          Trident replacement

£10,000 Million - £15,000 Million                Future Surface Combatant

£5,522 Million - £9,000 Million?                     Astute class submarine

£6,464 Million                                                  Daring class destroyer

£5,133 Million                            Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carrier

It can be seen that the Royal Navy's new aircraft carriers are the cheapest program in the list.

They also have the lowest operating cost of any of these projects.

Why then do we so often hear it claimed that the new aircraft carriers are "killing the navy"?

Is it because other services do not feel threatened by surface combatants and submarines?