[TheDoctor]

By James Titcomb: 09:20 GMT, 24 May 2012

The controversial replacements for the Harrier jump jets may cost taxpayers even more than their £500million asking price - because
the heat from take off could melt aircraft carriers' decks.

The fumes from the U.S. Joint Strike Fighters are so hot that special heat-resistant paint will be required to protect the take-off strip.

But American military experts are still developing the coating, which the Britain will now have to beg for as well as the new planes. The
new heat-resistant 'Thermion' coating has been developed in America after U.S. tests showed that exhausts from the jets could melt
ships' decks.



The flaw is the latest problem to hit the ministry of defence's 6.2billion plan for two new aircraft carriers after scrapping the Ark Royal
and selling off the Harriers.

It comes just two weeks after Defence Secretary Philip Hammond was forced into an embarrassing U-turn over the purchase of the
new jets.

He scrapped plans to replace the Harriers with conventional F-35C planes, which take off from an runway, when the £2billion cost of
fitting the new warships with catapult take-off systems was discovered.

The Government then had to revert to the previous Labour government's plan to purchase 12 F-35B 'jump jets', at a cost of up to
£500million each.

The turnaround cost taxpayers an estimated £250million.



The new aircraft carriers, HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales, are set to be completed in 2020.