I would have thought that with the same number of aircraft on deck ready to launch, that a STOVL carrier could launch the planes quicker than a CATOBAR carrier, no need to line up at the cat etc, also a STOVL carrier could land planes quicker, with multiple landing slots as opposed to one set of arrester wires.

So assuming that the maintenance requirements are the same +/- for the B and the C between sorties, with no faults reported in the previous flight, implicitly the STOVL Carrier must be slightly quicker at generating airborne formations.

What is the minimum safe time for an F35B to start its launch run after the previous one? Less than the cycle time of using a catapult…

On the contrary, CATOBAR carriers tend to be larger. The QE class is an exception and could easily have been fitted with 3 cats. Given the cyclic operations (launch cycle followed by recovery intervals). A CATOBAR carrier can spot ready (CAT I) aircraft and put 2-3 in the air every ~ 40 seconds. With STOVL ops, the aircraft have to be spotted near the rear with sufficient spacing. It is doubtful if more than 4-5 can be spotted for a takeoff cycle at a time.

The QE class is a larger (and has an angled deck and considerably more spotting/ready space than previous STOVL carriers) but you still run into the issue of sufficient rolling takeoff space for ready aircraft. The F-35B has a 600 ft rolling takeoff spec for the USMC, likely 400+ feet for a ski jump as fitted to the QE. Depending on required spacing for the F-35B, the QE class would have 500+ feet for spotting/ spacing ready aircraft. That is a heck of a lot more than the USN America class ships. But launch interval would be key. Even at a brisk 15 seconds between takeoffs, that still would a slower launch cycle than a CATOBAR carrier. Not to mention, the loss of ability to go to “flex deck” and have launch and recovery taking place simultaneously.

Additional- UK STOVL KPP is 450 feet, had to confirm that. USMC STOVL profile is pretty stringent- tropical day, 10 knots WOD (originally 550 feet- then 600) I’m too lazy to look up latest DOT&E to see if USMC STOVL distance was adjusted back down (it was estimated at 568 feet in 2012).

I am not sure if the analogy is a good one.. ME countries have for a long time bought a mix of US and non-US fighter aircraft.

However the problem they are soon facing is that Western Europe will not be able to supply 5. gen a/c, only 4.5 a/c (Rafale and Typhoon). Thus it would make sense for them to find a way to obtain non-US 5. gen a/c. In addition to the “mixed force” argument one additional argument could be that they are currently banned from obtaining also the F-35.
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Problem is that said aircraft does not exist. The timelines involved in developing a 5th gen airframe virtually preclude the possibility of UAE receiving a joint fifth gen aircraft before 2030 (generously). The possibility of joint development based on a Mig-29 could be delivered in a timely fashion, but then it would be neither: a fifth gen airframe, nor a significant capability upgrade from their F-16’s.

Ploy…. the F-35 isn’t for sale in the gulf due to Israeli assurances. Gulf states tend to sign all sorts of agreements, this one seems as plausible as the sale of diesel electric submarines to Taiwan that US congress approved under the Bush admin. One problem, the US doesn’t produce those, nor does Russia have a single engine light fifth gen in the pipeline.

Pierre Sprey believes the Rus can see em

Spray also takes credit for an aircraft he had no part in designing. Furthermore he claims said F-16 is more maneuverable than the: F22, Su-35….. on and on.

KGB, let’s get this straight. You are using the much maligned debriefing from col. Fornof (not that he was wrong, just that his debrief was based on impressions) to support the idea that the Su-30 Mki is as maneuverable as the F-22? Did you get the part about F-15’s drilling their brains out with guns going in the vertical? Good non-example. What’s next hud footage of the Rafale killing the F-22 to prove the maneuverability of the Su-35 vis a vis the typhoon? They are pilot impressions from exercises, experience counts more than the platform.