Canada flying them would have some kind of romantic feel to it. Almost like the two countries are symbiotic, like they should be inherently linked together.

I really don’t like the safety aspect of a twin-engine heavily fuel-laden tanker. The KC-10A, with its third engine, is not such a bad compromise. But after this last crash of the Brazilian airliner it makes me cringe to think people trust a twin-engine airplane to be ultimately reliable. Three engines should be the minimum requirement.

People around here seem to forget that the best option for those countries not offered participation in the F-35 program is going to be F-15 derivatives for decades to come. The Super Hornet had better get some additional foreign orders or it’s future is decided by default.

I’ve got a relative getting ready to deploy again on the Nimitz. He sleeps well at night. You don’t get much safer than that ship. ESSM is but one layer in the defense, with it overlapped by three other systems not including the airborne components. And with each one specialized for an extreme there is an awfully good chance it will do its job even in a hypothetical saturation attack.

Gyro stabilized platforms hanging underneath would be able to shift with the relative position changes, plus you can always build in safeguards that talk at the speed of light. I’d be more concerned with missing a target and wondering where all that energy really went.

The handicap of lasers is its limitations as a line of sight weapon. I imagine they should be able to accurately steer a ship mounted laser with a helicopter-mounted reflector of some type. Hell, maybe even using a fixed-wing or balloon mounted reflector. Instantaneous destruction of a foe with lasers is going to be awfully tempting for the wet brass to use them in vain.

I doubt that a modern aircraft is flyable after a real hit by an AAM or SAM.
Especially in carrier operations you rather dumb it before risking a crash landing on a carrier.

The control surfaces are maintained more often with today’s aircraft. Think about it, the fly by wire is more likely to survive the hit than mechanical hydraulics assisted controls. Control ability is key to making it back, let alone keeping in the air.