But unable to sustain the same sortie rate as a land based force, unable to deploy as quickly, and requiring massive resources - SSNs, frigates, destroyers, RFAs etc.
"
How do you know? On what do you base your facts? 100+ sorties on first night operations would press any land based station very hard indeed. Please don't make glib statements without the facts to back them. 53 sorties on in one day from Hermes in Op Corporate from 12 a/c. The Jag capability is being replaced by the Typhoon. If it can't replace that capability what is the point in having it?
Why get rid of the Jag? Because its knackered. I was at an airshow a year or two ago and the plane concerned flew a great routine only to be destined for scrap because its airframe life was up. Can you say the same for a 6yr old Shar? No of course not.