In 1998, Britain's Strategic Defence review (SDR) announced plans to replace the current set of 3 Invincible Class 22,000t escort carriers with 2 larger, more capable Future Aircraft Carrier (CVF) ships that could operate a more powerful force. These new carriers would be a joint-service platform, operating aircraft and UAVs from all three services (Navy, RAF, Army) in a variety of roles that could include ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance), force projection and logistics support, close air support, anti-submarine/ anti-surface naval warfare, and land attack.
Once the new ships of the Queen Elizabeth Class are complete, Britain will possess a full-size carrier force for the first time in several decades. CVF carriers will initially be equipped with the F-35B STOVL Lightning II, along with AEW aircraft and helicopters; but the ships will be upgradeable to handle conventional fixed-wing naval aircraft and/or unmanned UCAVs during their expected 40-50 year life span.
The scale of the CVF effort relative to Britain's past experiences means that the program structure is rather complex. It has passed through several stages already, and is being run and conducted within an industrial alliance framework. There is also a parallel international framework, involving cooperation with France on its PA2 carrier as a larger derivative of the CVF design.
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