When they were designing CVF (Now the Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers) they looked at CATOBAR and STOVL. Some people at MoD prefered CATOBAR, but the RAF, for their own reasons, would only support STOVL. The RN did not have a clear preference, saying, rightly that there were pros and cons to both. At the time, because to the RN getting the Carriers into Service was the main thing, the Navy sided with the Air Force, as to do anything else risked the RAF coming out against the Carriers, as they did in the 1960’s with CVA with very bad results for the RN.

This seems to have changed with the SDR and the likely very high expense of F35 B.

Remember the RAF might lose most or even all Tornado under the SDR.

The QE Class Aircraft Carrier were designed, from the word go, to allow the fitting of CATOBAR, it is no huge job to fit them,

I tell you now, no British Government would survive sending British, RN sailors to die for a French National interest and, no doubt this would be true of a French Government and its sailors. The whole thing is utter fantasy and will never happen, thank the Gods.

The main points that have come out so far on this are: F35 B which is the most complex and will be the most expensive version of F35, and have much less range and only half the stealth payload of other F35 versions, is, probably, in serious trouble so far as a British order is concerned.

The new 65,000 ton Queen Elizabeth Class Royal Navy Aircraft Carriers look very likely being completed as CATOBAR, not STOVL warships.

In the frame to replace F35 B are F18 Super Hornet and, maybe, if it is not too expensive, F35 C.

No fewer than twelve RN Fleet Air Arm Pilots are slated for training, on F18, with the USN. Not a lot else is known so far.

All good news for the Royal Navy, and for Britain, perhaps less good news for the RAF. Never mind they still have Typhoon and the Red Arrows…