Five-billion for British defence contracts

The British government has announced defence orders worth five-billion pounds -- the biggest military contracts since the Labour administration came to power three years ago.

A European consortium led by British Aerospace has won a deal to fit missiles to the Eurofighter aircraft.

At the same time, twenty-five new European airbuses have been ordered by the Ministry of Defence to provide heavy lifting capability for British troops. Mr Hoon told Parliament that the government was committed to the modernisation of the armed forces.

He said the contracts would safeguard up to ten-thousand jobs.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service