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Defence Secretary Liam Fox: "Our decision will be based on the correct balance over the next 30-40 years"
The Royal Navy's flagship, the aircraft carrier Ark Royal, is to be scrapped early as part of the government's defence review.
The UK's Harrier jump jets will be axed, the money saved going towards the cost of two new aircraft carriers.
It means that, until at least 2019, Britain will not have the ability to launch fighter jets at sea.
David Cameron is due to unveil the first strategic defence and security review in 12 years at 1530 BST.
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During a visit to operations headquarters for the armed forces on Tuesday Mr Cameron said there had been some "difficult decisions" but the UK would remain "an absolutely front rank military power".
One Harrier pilot, Royal Navy Lieutenant Commander Kris Ward asked the PM: "I have flown 140 odd missions in Afghanistan and I am now potentially facing unemployment. How am I supposed to feel about that sir?"
Mr Cameron thanked him for "everything" he had done for his country, but said there had been long discussions about the review and the military advice was that "it was right to keep the Typhoon as the principal ground attack aircraft, working in Afghanistan at the moment, and right to retire the Harrier".
Defence Secretary Liam Fox told the BBC the fleet had to modernise and have the "correct balance for the next 30 to 40 years".
He said there had been periods in the past - before the Harriers came on stream - when the UK had aircraft carriers with no planes to fly on them. Dr Fox said there would be a range of helicopters and unmanned aircraft which would still be able to fly from them.
Unveiling the defence review at about 1530 BST, Mr Cameron is expected to announce:
The Ark Royal, launched in 1985, will be decommissioned almost immediately, rather than in 2014, as previously planned
The construction of two new aircraft carriers, HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales, will go ahead, as it would cost more to cancel the projects than proceed with them
The navy will lose 4,000 personnel and its surface fleet will be cut from 24 to 19
Some squadrons of RAF Tornado jets will be saved - although some air force bases will close
The Army will have to cut up to 7,000 or so personnel over the next five years, and lose 100 tanks and heavy artillery
The Ministry of Defence itself will face substantial cuts to its civilian staff
The BBC has learned that at least one of the new carriers will be redesigned so that it can deploy normal fighter aircraft that do not need a Harrier-style vertical lift capability.
BBC News - Defence review: HMS Ark Royal to be scrapped
It is hard to understand the mentality of the British Government in respect to Military Defence Politics.
We are currently at war in several areas and in demand as a target for terrorism, but cuts are being made to all sections of the military.
Haven't we lost enough Soldiers etc so far due to a lack of adequate equipment and supplies without these cut backs.
How will we cope if a Major War breaks out before the aircraft are ready to fulfil there duties on board the empty aircraft carrier and based on the production of the said, one direct hit and we are finished.
The Royal Navy's flagship, the aircraft carrier Ark Royal, is to be scrapped early as part of the government's defence review.
The UK's Harrier jump jets will be axed, the money saved going towards the cost of two new aircraft carriers.
It means that, until at least 2019, Britain will not have the ability to launch fighter jets at sea.
David Cameron is due to unveil the first strategic defence and security review in 12 years at 1530 BST.
Continue reading the main story
The Spending Review: Making It Clear
What is the Spending Review?
Cuts watch
What would you do?
Housing budget 'to be cut by 50%'
During a visit to operations headquarters for the armed forces on Tuesday Mr Cameron said there had been some "difficult decisions" but the UK would remain "an absolutely front rank military power".
One Harrier pilot, Royal Navy Lieutenant Commander Kris Ward asked the PM: "I have flown 140 odd missions in Afghanistan and I am now potentially facing unemployment. How am I supposed to feel about that sir?"
Mr Cameron thanked him for "everything" he had done for his country, but said there had been long discussions about the review and the military advice was that "it was right to keep the Typhoon as the principal ground attack aircraft, working in Afghanistan at the moment, and right to retire the Harrier".
Defence Secretary Liam Fox told the BBC the fleet had to modernise and have the "correct balance for the next 30 to 40 years".
He said there had been periods in the past - before the Harriers came on stream - when the UK had aircraft carriers with no planes to fly on them. Dr Fox said there would be a range of helicopters and unmanned aircraft which would still be able to fly from them.
Unveiling the defence review at about 1530 BST, Mr Cameron is expected to announce:
The Ark Royal, launched in 1985, will be decommissioned almost immediately, rather than in 2014, as previously planned
The construction of two new aircraft carriers, HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales, will go ahead, as it would cost more to cancel the projects than proceed with them
The navy will lose 4,000 personnel and its surface fleet will be cut from 24 to 19
Some squadrons of RAF Tornado jets will be saved - although some air force bases will close
The Army will have to cut up to 7,000 or so personnel over the next five years, and lose 100 tanks and heavy artillery
The Ministry of Defence itself will face substantial cuts to its civilian staff
The BBC has learned that at least one of the new carriers will be redesigned so that it can deploy normal fighter aircraft that do not need a Harrier-style vertical lift capability.
BBC News - Defence review: HMS Ark Royal to be scrapped
It is hard to understand the mentality of the British Government in respect to Military Defence Politics.
We are currently at war in several areas and in demand as a target for terrorism, but cuts are being made to all sections of the military.
Haven't we lost enough Soldiers etc so far due to a lack of adequate equipment and supplies without these cut backs.
How will we cope if a Major War breaks out before the aircraft are ready to fulfil there duties on board the empty aircraft carrier and based on the production of the said, one direct hit and we are finished.
