Originally Posted by
Video Mixdown
How about not having to spend many millions designing, manufacturing and installing large, heavy and complex catapult and arresting gear? How about not needing the extra crew members (including their training, accommodation, food etc.) needed to operate, maintain and repair them? How about not needing to carry bulky spare parts for them? They are a known Achilles heel, because if any element of them becomes unserviceable for any reason, conventional fixed wing air ops are impossible until they’re repaired. And of course the presence/absence of cats/traps is entirely irrelevant to the equally important rotary wing ASW/support helicopter/commando roles.
Entirely and absolutely true. Restricted to embarking a very limited range of FW ac operated, in the Western hemisphere by only two (I think) other nations and with an extremely limited radius of action. Its almost perfect, bring the ship inshore as close as possible to enable it to reach its target and expose it to land based ac.
Genius.