Perhaps a stupid question:
Am not up to speed on the carrier program - would an F18 be able to take off and operate from the current design/is the deck lond enough (if catapaults and arrestors were fitted - can this be done?)? Are the lifts big enough?
If it can, sounds like a pretty sensible option price wise - proven jet, cheaper, etc vs unproven, more expensive jet?
That said, we would have to use electric catapaults... which are, also, unproven and thus a bit of a gamble? So not so ideal!