Asturias56
1. HMS Queen Elizabeth could deploy if needed in the next year. Even without a full complement of jets, she still performs useful task group roles such as task group ASW with nine or so Merlins, and flagship.
2. Both carriers will be manned - harbour training ship? Where did you get that?
3. The carriers will take over Ocean's role of acting as a platform for helicopters in an amphibious operation, but will not (and cannot) take on the role of the LPDs (being retained) and LSD(A)s.
4. The decision to go non nuclear was taken in the nineties, due to integration issues, the expense of designing a special to type reactor, through life costs, and manning.