Andis,
Oh but it is a British waste of Space product! They are heavily into the airframe and systems of the Lockheed candidate and the systems and avionics of the Boeing ugly frog.
Of course it will be able to operate off US Navy carriers, but what's to stop the SHar or GR7 doing that right now? After all the average US CVN is about the same size as Cottesmore.
What exactly is your point about UAV's? Surely the fact that three have gone down without any hue and cry or prisoners paraded through Baghdad is their ultimate justification?
When the winner is announced there is one guaranteed winner, and that is BAE. They'll be on which ever is selected with lots of work for UK Plc elsewhere.
Suit