UK selling carrier, warships for peanuts London
Cash-strapped Britain is putting an aircraft carrier, warships, helicopters as well as battle fortified Land Rovers on the market for a song.
Under an almost distress sale to plug a gaping 36 billion pounds hole in the Ministry of Defence's budget, the price of the aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal built at a cost of 200 million pounds has dipped to a ridiculous level of 3.5 million on eBay.
Also on offer at almost throwaway prices are Type 22 frigates costing 400 million each at 300,000 pounds, destroyers at just a million pounds, the Daily Mail reported quoting senior officials.
It's not only the naval weaponry that is up for grabs, but also the 13 gazelle helicopters which cost almost five million to build apiece are being sold at just 100,000 pounds.
For car lovers, the armoured version of the Jaguars are going for just 12,000 pounds cut from 200,000 pounds and snatch Land Rovers at just 2,000 pounds from their retail price of 65,000 pounds.
The SAS smock combat jacket which costs 350 pounds each have been put on the market for just 35 pounds.
'The MoD is so desperate to balance the books that they are selling everything imaginable' a prominent lawmaker Patrick Mercer has said, likening the sail to 'selling the family silver'.
"These goods have cost us millions and now they are being sold for peanuts", he said terming the distress sale as 'not right'.
Senior military officers are said to be furious at the sell-offs, which they claim are giving away quality equipment while the forces need everything they can get.
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