Major equipment projects in MoD plan

The equipment detailed in today's spending plan was fist outlined in the Ministry of Defence's Strategic Defence and Security Review in October 2010, which set out plans up to 2020.

The major defence equipment projects covered are:

• £35.8bn on seven Astute Class submarines, built by BAE, and a replacement for four Vanguard Class submarines used for the Trident nuclear deterrent
• £18.5bn on fighter jets - including the Joint Strike Fighter, built by a US firm, and the Typhoon, built by a consortium involving BAE - and drones

• £17.4bn on two Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers, six new Type 45 destroyers and the development of the Type 26 Global Combat Ship, all built by BAE
• £13.9bn on aircraft for air-to-air refuelling, passenger and heavy-lift capability, by leasing Airbus aircraft

• £12.3m on armoured fighting vehicles - including the Scout, built by General Dynamics, and the Warrior, built by GKN
• £12.1bn on helicopters, including the Chinook and Apache, both built by Boeing, and the Wildcat, built by AgustaWestland
• £11.4bn on assorted missiles, torpedoes and bombs

The latest round of Army job cuts, announced last week, are also part of the Strategic Defence and Security Review, which aims to cut spending and modernise Britain's military.