Originally Posted by
MENELAUS
We don’t have enough bodies nor aircraft to provide an air group. Hence US marines and RAF personnel embarks. By the same token if both carriers are manned ( and they are designed for minimal manning hence the **** show when any sort of damage control is required, such as fire in a trash compactor space ) then they can’t man the ‘45’s that are meant to defend them.
The RAF presence is nothing whatsoever to do with a shortage of personnel. The Lightning is a joint force, 617 squadron is a Royal Air Force squadron, and the RN members are part of a RAF squadron.