A joint Royal Navy / RAF team is "considering options" for the UK's maritime patrol capability in the long term following the scrapping of the Nimrod MRA4 programme, the MoD has confirmed.
The Portsmouth News this week reported that the MoD may be prepared to spend up to £1bn on a new maritime patrol aircraft to be operated by the Fleet Air Arm.
The 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) cancelled the Nimrod MRA4 programme before the nine aircraft had been accepted into service, leading to the closure of RAF Kinloss.
The programme had cost around £4bn, and was nearly £800m over budget and nine-and-a-half years late when it was scrapped.
An MoD spokesman said: "Ministers and service chiefs have made clear that the decision in October's SDSR not to bring the Nimrod MRA4 into service was difficult.
"The severe financial pressures and the urgent need to bring the defence programme into balance meant we could not retain all existing programmes. We will continue joint maritime patrol activities with our allies and will ensure the integrity of UK waters by utilising a range of other military assets, including Type 23 Frigates, Merlin Anti Submarine Warfare helicopters and Hercules C-130 aircraft.
"As part of SDSR implementation work, a joint Navy/RAF team is considering options for the UK's longer-term requirement for a maritime patrol capability."
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