Not much good have a couple of well fancy and expensive carriers if you done have any ships left to protect them.

Trevor Huckstep, Tunbridge Wells, Kent/ UK

I've heard of lunacy before, but does the government understand what a mess they're creating?

Get them out now, have a snap election!

Jenny Thomas, London,

Thankfully the Iranians keep taking RIB's off our hands, that should save a few quid.

JonB, Glasgow, UK

What on earth do we need aircraft carriers for? It is high time our government accepted that defending our shores against hordes of illegal immigrants should be their prime concern. Britain is too small and lacks the wealth necessary to act as a world policeman. When oh when will our politicians accept that the heady days of empire are long gone?

Ben, Sunderland, Tyne & Wear

What next soldiers to be issued with catapults instead of rifles, jet fighter aircraft to be converted to pedal power?

Eric Long, Ramsgate, Kent

What ships will protect the carrier group if these ships are decommissioned??

Paul, crewe, england

I'm surprised anybody still believes the Navy will get these carriers. It's been a good excuses to cut the RN down to a coastguard fleet without too much shouting...something John Knot signally failed to do in the early 80's and look where his attempt led. The fleet that once ruled the oceans now has a hard job to rule Portsmouth dockyard.

Kev T, Newcastle,

If we weren't running around chasing WMD that didn't exist, over stretching our resources, trudging up huge bills, we might have been able to keep our full naval fleet. Am I the only one concerned about loosing valuable naval assets given that we are after all an island!

Farrukh, Woking, UK

I thought the last round of cuts to the Navy were to pay for the carriers?

When is the government going to wake up and realise that we are an island nation and 95% of imports (and lets not forget those remaining exports) arrive by sea.

Its a shame 'defense' is no longer a vote winner.....

Steven, Southend, UK

So we will have a navy the size of Belgium's after all! So much for punching above our weight... we might now be able to summon a limp slap.

And... the enemy will be able to sink our new super carriers because we won't have enough ships to defend them. Perhaps we should rename the Royal Navy the RNCDF... the Royal Navy Costal Defence Force... except we won't be able to defend all the coast at the same time.

Andrew Brown, derby, uk

And the carrier strategy is driven by Labour's deference to an EU military force - built also by France of course....why do we need mega carriers now without an empire ? Mad

Trendini, Banbury, UK