Inside the mothballed Typhoon factory where thousands of workers are left in limbo - 'Act of national self-harm'

The Prime Minister announced last month that the UK would buy at least 12 new F-35 stealth jets capable of carrying nuclear warheads, but just earlier today, a National Audit Office report revealed Britain's current fleet of F-35 warplanes is only able to fly a third of their missions due to a shortage of spare parts and personnel.

Typhoons, which support more than 20,000 British jobs, have been assembled at BAE Systems' sprawling factory in Warton for decades, but work at the base has ground to a halt in recent years, with the UK not placing an order for the jet since 2009 and the factory preparing to deliver its last Typhoon, ordered in 2017 for Qatar.

Workers at the base, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told GB News it is "disappointing" that the Government is not backing the site despite the increase in defence spending.

One whistleblower told the People's Channel: "I've worked at the site for over 25 years, it's really important to teach apprentices the skills they need to final assemble aircraft.

"We had Tornado that led into Typhoon but now without an order from the Government, we have nothing to work on up until Tempest, it's very concerning."

Another said: There is one jet in the hangar but it is basically waiting for a few parts to be painted. As far as major assembly foes, it's finished, it isn't sustaining any workers."

A third said the "new Government aren't choosing to back our site and place an order for Typhoons despite the raise in the defence budget".

The Ministry of Defence proudly announced its new Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) HQ in Reading this week, supporting "over 3,500 jobs and 1,000 apprenticeships in the UK", however, a member of the Unite union told this broadcaster that it will be a struggle to find high-skilled workers to assemble the new jets.

David Carnel, senior communication advisor at Unite, said: "In order for production to happen, you obviously need workers who are skilled at assembling fighter jets.

"This is not something that you can just bring people in off the street and train them to know with any sort of speed or ease."

He added: "Because the UK is neither ordering new typhoons for themselves, nor do we have any export orders ready to go, that final assembly of typhoons in this country has now ceased. So what would have been a factory of hundreds of workers putting these cutting-edge fighter jets together is now essentially gathering balls of dust."

With the 12 F-35s purchased by the Prime Minister being stored at RAF Marham in Norfolk, workers are being reassigned to other BAE factories and RAF bases from BAE Warton.

This has led to a worry among unions that thousands of highly skilled workers will be forced to leave the industry.

Carnel explained: "We're not going to have the skilled workers in five to 10 years' time, when you want to be making this incredibly cutting-edge fighter jet.

"The Government has spoken endlessly about protecting British jobs through defence and security spending, and yet, at the first opportunity, has gone and bought American-made jets in the F-35s."

DO YOU THINK BRITAIN SHOULD INVEST IN A NEW FLEET OF TYPHOONS? CLICK HERE TO HAVE YOUR SAY IN THE COMMENTS BELOW

Former Defence Secretary Grant Shapps warned that the move from Starmer would be a "serious strategic error", putting Britain's national security at risk.

Shapps said: "At a time of growing global instability, the Government should be backing [Typhoons] 100 per cent - to safeguard Britain's national security and to protect the 20,000 high-skilled UK jobs that support its production."

Unite have been pushing the Government to buy a new tranche of Typhoons, as the aircraft have potential usage spanning well into the 2030s or 2040s.

General secretary of the union, Sharon Graham, said: "Workers at BAE and across the whole UK defence and manufacturing industry will be looking at the ending of the Typhoon final assembly production at Warton and asking how a Government promising to turn defence spending into 'British growth, British jobs, British skills, British innovation' could let it happen.

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"The Ministry of Defence (MoD) must now urgently announce its commitment to the Typhoon with an order for the latest, cutting-edge T5 Typhoons to replace the ageing RAF fighters being retired.

"A failure to do this could destroy a generation of aerospace workers and would amount to an act of national self-harm."

Defence Secretary John Healey has insisted that the new GCAP programme, announced this week, will "deliver for defence" and provide "cutting-edge military capabilities".

Healey explained that the programme will "combat air power innovation for decades to come and that defence is the engine for growth across the country".

However, with no export orders for Typhoons, there is a huge gap in Britain's defence until the GCAP programme comes into force.

Unite national officer for aerospace, Rhys McCarthy, said: "This is hardly surprising since the Government doesn't have enough faith in [Typhoons] to buy it itself yet expects foreign countries to.

"This is an act of self-sabotage that will wreak havoc with the aerospace workforce across Lancashire and a UK-wide supply chain that supports thousands of jobs. The Government needs to place an order for new Typhoons."

DO YOU THINK BRITAIN'S NATIONAL SECURITY IS TIGHT ENOUGH? CLICK HERE TO HAVE YOUR SAY IN THE COMMENTS BELOW

With no new production of Typhoons, F-35s only being able to fly a third of their missions, and the new GCAP programme only just getting started, critics have expressed serious concerns over Britain's national security.

Former Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson told GB News: "It's vital that we maintain the strategic capability to build fast jet fighters in the UK. We know we need more fighter planes, and the Government should make the decision to order more Typhoons now."

"This isn't just about keeping the United Kingdom safe. It's also about keeping the skills and technology in the UK to be able to build these jets and not to be reliant on other countries such as the United States or France."

Upon finalising the deal to purchase the new aircraft, Starmer insisted that the order of the dozen new F-35s will protect the country's national security and "deter hostile threats".

The Prime Minister said: "In an era of radical uncertainty, we can no longer take peace for granted, which is why my Government is investing in our national security, ensuring our Armed Forces have the equipment they need and communities up and down the country reap the benefits from our defence dividend."

However, with the growing uncertainty, ministers and unions are calling for the Government to invest in both Typhoons and F-35s.

Speaking to GB News, Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge said: "At this time of heightened threat, both jets are critical for the RAF as two highly capable combat aircraft.

"The worry is that Labour's choice of penny pinching at the MoD since the election, with higher spending years away and largely smoke and mirrors, has led to in-year cuts. For example, shorter flying hours for the F-35, which are now coming to light.

"The Strategic Defence Review was dead on arrival because Labour didn't have a plan to pay for it, but they are going to have to get serious if we aren't to see more pressure on what should be world-beating capabilities."

Politicians have been voicing their concerns for the ongoing situation at BAE Warton and what it means on a national scale for the UK.

The Chair of the Defence Select Committee, Tan Dhesi, told GB News: "The situation at the Warton factory is acutely disappointing, but it isn't a surprise.

"The Defence Committee has been aware of concerns around Typhoon production at Warton since last year. We made those concerns clear to the Government in our report on GCAP published in January.

"Retaining the Typhoon manufacturing workforce must be a priority. The Government told us in March that BAE Systems has a plan to maintain jobs and skills to cover a gap in final assembly production lines. I expect to see this plan put into action with drive and urgency."

Former Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon believes that it is the previous Government's fault for the situation at BAE Warton, insisting that orders for Typhoons would have had to have been made many years ago.

He said to GB News: "As someone who ordered both Typhoon and F35s for use by Britain's armed forces, I am personally sad to see the end of British production of this highly capable European fast jet.

"It is obviously a matter of regret that previous Governments did not decide to buy more Typhoons.

"The present Government has an ambitious defence procurement programme which will involve investment in a new generation of European attack aircraft, securing highly skilled jobs in the British aerospace industry."

Local MP for the area, Andrew Snowden, voiced his concerns last January for the Government to place an order for Typhoons.

It was previously promised that 25 new Typhoons would be ordered, however Snowden claims that the Defence Minister, Maria Eagle only provided "vague assurances".

He said: "The Minister seems to be pinning her hope on more export orders for Typhoon, but if the UK Government won't commit to buying more of these world-class fighter jets, it's hardly going to encourage other countries to place their own orders.

"The response I got was deeply disappointing. There was no clarity, no commitment, just a repeat of what was said six months ago."

A Ministry of Defence spokesman told the People's Channel: "The Typhoon is a world-class aircraft that will remain the backbone of the UK’s air defence until at least the 2040s.

"The UK is leading Typhoon export campaigns to other nations, and we will continue to work on upgrading the RAF's existing Typhoons over at least the next 15 years, both of which will support thousands of skilled UK jobs.

"Future Typhoon investment is subject to the Defence Investment Plan, which will be published later in the year."

A BAE Systems spokesman said: "We’re experienced at responding to the changing demands of the Typhoon programme to ensure we retain our specialist skills.

"The strong level of interest, commitment and investment in the aircraft from current and potential customers gives us confidence that Typhoon production in the UK will take us into the next decade - we’re working hard to secure these orders, which are critical to secure the UK’s long-term sovereign combat air capability."