http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/groups/dg_digitalassets/@dg/@en/documents/digitalasset/dg_191634.pdf

Pages 21-23 (ships), 26-28 (aircraft).

There has also been much discussion to the effect that the Bay class LSD(A) to be sold fits the RAN’s logistics ship requirement almost perfectly, and will likely be available for about half the designated budget… in 2012.

Well… the USN is also buying into the “second-line carrier” concept.

Which is why LHA-6 USS America (formerly LHA(R) ) is designed with improved aviation facilities and no well dock at all.

A contract for long-lead-time elements and engineering work for the second ship of the class (LHA-07) was signed in June this year… it is also to be strongly aviation-centric.
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/news/2010/06/mil-100630-northrop-grumman04.htm
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/navy-awards-northrop-grumman-48-million-advance-procurement-contract-for-multi-purpose-amphibious-assault-ship-lha-7-2010-10-28?reflink=MW_news_stmp

LHA 7 will have an extended hangar deck with two higher hangar bay areas, each fitted with an overhead crane for aircraft maintenance. The ship will also provide increased aviation fuel capacity, stowage for aviation parts and support equipment. In addition, LHA 7 will be able to embark and launch the MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft, cargo and attack helicopters, and the short take-off vertical landing (STOVL) variant F-35B Lightning II Strike Fighter.

So not only is the USMC planning to use F-35B from amphibs in numbers… the USN is building new amphibs specifically to support those kinds of operations!

Yes, I know… its Wiki-waki… but:

Two contracts to develop prototypes were awarded on November 16, 1996, one each to Lockheed Martin and Boeing. Each firm would produce two aircraft to demonstrate conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL), carrier takeoff and landing (CV version), and short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL). McDonnell Douglas’ bid was rejected in part due to the complexity of its design.[8]

8. ^ Fulghum, David; Morrocco, John (1996-11-25). “Final JSF Competition Offers No Sure Bets”. Aviation Week and Space Technology (McGraw-Hill): p. 20.

Note that the merger between Boeing & McDonnell-Douglas was announced 15 December 1996 (intermittent negotiations had been underway “for several years”).
http://www1.american.edu/ted/hpages/aero/BAMD.HTM

As early as two months later (3 February 1997) the two companies were announcing their partnership for JSF “whether the merger goes through or not”.
Merger or no Boeing and McDonnell-Douglas linked for JSF

The merger was completed 1 August 1997.

The USN has been working on this since the 1980s, and has been using the same base design since the mid-1990s (although with different materials).

This is the result of a long progression of development… when did MetalStorm get into the act?

Steve – Interesting that you put Christians and then Catholics as separate religions.

Any reason as pre reformation all Christians were Catholics.

Many would disagree, as there were non-Catholic forms of Christianity throughout the entire span of time from a certain carpenter’s ministry to current.

Or are you saying that all Orthodox are/were not Christians?

And what about the Celtic church, which was the dominant form of Christianity in the British Isles until the Synod of Whitby* in 664 (and which remained dominant in Ireland for nearly a hundred more years)?

Or the Coptic Christians?

Or the many other early branches that developed in distant lands (and some in Europe) that never gave allegiance to the Pope (some of which still exist)?

* in which the question of whether the Roman (Catholic) or Celtic** forms of worship and church organization should be made “official” in the Kingdom of Northumbria was considered and decided in favor of Rome… a decision soon followed by the other British kingdoms.

** based on traditions predating both the Council of Nicea and the formation of the Catholic church in Rome.

It does make perfect sens.

2003 -> 1€=0.85$ -> 60M€=51M$
2010 -> 1€=1.40$ -> 60M€=84M$

Congrats to the BCE by the way…

In other words… it USED to cost less, but is NOW more expensive!

France used to have a large overseas empire. Does that mean it really still does now… even though all those colonies currently have their independence?

After all, according to Dassault, the past is the true situation, and the present is just an illusion, right?

In other words, US governmental aviation regulators are following the lead of British & European governmental aviation regulators, correct?

Chief of Defence Staff General Sir David Richards seems to believe that QE is indeed the one to be fully fitted with catapults and arresting gear.

http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/People/Speeches/ChiefStaff/20101122SecuringBritainInAnAgeOfUncertainty.htm

The short delay to the first carrier, to allow it to be fitted with ‘cats and traps’, means that when it comes into service in 2019 it will be equipped with the hugely capable carrier variant of Joint Strike Fighter.

POW is the “second carrier”, and at this time is planned to be the “back-up carrier”… placed in “quick reactivation reserve” until needed for either duties as an LPH or to replace QE while QE is in extended maintenance.

There is also talk of having them rotate “in service” periods, to extend the life of both ships.

For this to work fully, though, both ships will need to be equipped with full flight deck equipment.

To provide further insurance against unpredictable changes in that strategic environment, our current plan is to hold one of the two new carriers at extended readiness. That leaves open options to rotate them, to ensure a continuous UK carrier-strike capability; or to re-generate more quickly a two-carrier strike capability.

Alternatively, we might sell one of the carriers, relying on cooperation with a close ally to provide continuous carrier-strike capability.

2010 UK SDSR

Note that the “sell” option has been described by UK government officials as “extremely unlikely, and included only to cover all possibilities”.