Originally Posted by Navaleye
FormerFlake,
Suggest you do a Google search on the Beira Patrol.
Although i am always one for trying to use history to guide the future etc. I don't quite see the what you are getting at? The world is a very, very different place now. The threat is different, our resources are diffrerrent and the political will is different. The threats when these carrier finally grace our seas will be very different to those during the 50/60/70s as the Empire(s) broke up. Dam that Luke Skywalker.
A different arguemnt that shows up in the Beira Patrol is the lack of effective AEW for the Navy. Now if the new breed of Carriers were getting Hawkeye then the case becomes stronger. They could go back to the idea of strapping a radar to a HS125?
I have not at any stage stated carriers are a waste of time. I'm only trying to suggest that there may be more sensible ways to spend money.
It is also fair to say that Uncle Sam owes us a big favour which could include carrier support in the future.