"calculations demonstrate the value of having your fighters based near high value units and not a long way away"
But the Carriers ARE long way away - they're nowhere near where the action is - which is why the RAF are having to tanker fighters from Cyprus. We didn't even divert a carrier which was in the N Atlantic to Guyana when it looked like a war might kick off.
and in terms of AEW are you saying that the RN has effective carrier based AEW right now?