Past performance does NOT equal future success. Yes the UK has historically extensive experience in the ACC construction field but to say this means the UK are more capable ACC builders than the US or even the French is more than an overreach. The fact is the UK's ship production industry is almost non-existent today.
Does the UK have anything like the ship-building powerhouse that is DCNS?
Looking at the ground realities of TODAY the UK is behind the US and French for sure and the "young guns" of India and China are catching up fast.
After the QE class I can guarantee the UK will not be building any ACCs ever again for both political and economic reasons.
It is not about past success or glory it is about experience. The fact is UK may not be building ACs or ships right now for economical and political reasons as you mentioned but that doesn't change the fact that they're best AC building. No one can deny that. They can help India more than France can.
British Shipbuilding Corporation? BAE systems?
Appledore Shipbuilders
Sir W. G. Armstrong Whitworth & Company
Vickers-Armstrongs, Limited
Austin & Pickersgill Ltd
Barclay Curle & Company
William Beardmore & Company
Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Company
Robb Caledon Shipbuilders
Clelands Shipbuilding Company
William Denny & Brothers
William Doxford & Sons
Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company
Ferguson Brothers
Appledore Shipbuilders
Hall, Russell & Company
Harland & Wolff
R. & W. Hawthorn, Leslie & Company
Henry Robb
Palmers Shipbuilding & Iron Company
John Readhead & Sons
Short Brothers of Sunderland
Smiths Dock Company
Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson
Thames Ironworks, Shipbuilding and Engineering Company
John I. Thornycroft & Company
Upper Clyde Shipbuilders
Fairfields, Govan
Alexander Stephens and Sons, Linthouse
Charles Connell and Company, Scotstoun
Yarrow Shipbuilders Ltd (YSL), Scotstoun
John Brown and Company, Clydebank
Vickers, Sons & Maxim, Ltd
Vickers-Armstrongs, Limited
VSEL
BAE Systems Surface Ships
BAE Systems Submarine Solutions
Vosper & Company
J. Samuel White
Just to name a few. Britain is not building any ships nowadays is simply because they don't need to. But that doesn't mean they have forgot how to make them.
Plus it was the navies that Britain relied on heavily in past and Britain being an island has great maritime and naval history. To even suggest that France or any other European nation comes even close to Britain is laughable.