The Marines want stovl a/c because the Navy seems to have the attitude “as long as it doesnt eat into our carrier deck space, nothing is too goo for the Marines!” In other words……if the Marines only had CTOL birds, the Navy could possibly take a looong hard look at Marine air, and maybe start asking awkward questions such as: Why is it so large? Why do they need a $100+ million dollar stealth fighter when they should be concerned with CAS and a secondary air deffence role?

If Britain has any sanity left they will drop the name “Prince of Wales” and call the second ship “Ark Royal”, that being said I cant see Britain getting these 2 ships. 20 years of reduction precedence are agaist it. In 2020 the RN will have lost all fast jet experience and starting from scratch will be horribly expensive. I do hope I’m wrong, but I would not bet on it. The odds are too long.

The odds are not good for the UK to ever put fixed wing aircraft at sea again.

According to AFM the problem is the jet exaust will melt asphalt and “spall” conventional concrete runways/taxiways, and the lift fan is so powerful it throws up too much debris. It really is a very good in depth article, well worth reading. Also…….is a 100 million dollar per copy a/c REALLY what you wanna fly CAS in?

An argument about the need of the Marine Corp as it is presently constituted is not something they (the USMC) would really want to have as If it is looked at logicaly, they would not like the outcome.

Future Argentine carrier ambitions? That would be interesting! Would love to see it……but, the economic situation would have to have a MAJOR shift first.

If the 35C does get axed (hope not) it looks like after Italy and Spain retire Harrier only France will be left with fixed wing aviation at sea in Europe. (and Russia I guess)

Will fixed wing aviation in the RN be gone until 2020?! When did that happen???!