I wasn't so much suggesting the STOVL train had departed, more that there are pros and cons to both F-35B and F-35C.
The former would enable the CVF air wing to be rapidly and significantly reinforced by RAF sqns without the need to maintain highly perishable cat/trap skills. STOVL also allows greater flexibility in operating from austere land bases, and from a wider variety of RN and coalition surface ships. Who knows, the replacement for Ocean (if there is one) may even be designed with a ski jump and without a dirty great CIWS to ensure fixed wing cannot fly STO!!
The CV option meanwhile is clearly the more capable aircraft in terms of range/payload. People who argue for CV so that E-2 can be procured really need to wake up and smell the coffee. The money is just not there for such a MASC solution and the SKASaC sensor already out performs the E-2 sensors in many respects; those advantages will remain even over the E-2D. Yes, a rotary MASC suffers from many limitations but there are very few scenarios where theatre C2 will not be be supplied by land based assets such as E-3 and Wedgetail. A Merlin ASaC would offer a pragmatic balance between ensuring CVF has a useful C2 capability, and allowing cash to be spent on other essential capabilities such as CVF C2 and J6.
In the very unlikely event that F-35B and C are unavailable, I would suggest that the FA-18E/F offers a better solution to Rafale due to its sensor/weapons mix. Sea Typhoon is a complete non-starter imho.
DOG,
Apologies, I stand corrected!
Regards,
MM