It is reported that the first piece of steel has been cut on aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales.

In an official ceremony, defense secretary Mr Liam Fox made the first cut using a computer guided cutting laser tool at BAE Systems' Govan shipyard.

Construction of the carrier and its sister ship HMS Queen Elizabeth will guarantee 5000 jobs across Govan and other BAE sites. The two 65,000 tonne ships have been dubbed super carriers as they are the largest and most powerful ships ever constructed in the UK, more than three times the displacement of the Invincible class they replace.

It is believed they will end up costing GBP 7billion, substantially more than the GBP 5.2billion originally expected.

Mr Charles Montgomery Vice Admiral at Second Sea Lord said that "The Queen Elizabeth Class will provide Britain with the means to deliver air power from the sea, wherever and whenever required and in a stronger and more decisive form than ever before."

The Prince of Wales is expected to launch in 2018.

(Sourced from www.theglaswegian.co.uk)