Before this thread drifts right off the radar, maybe its worth one more bump.
The UK's commitment to STOVL, which ensures high level industry participation in JSF-B, neccesitates a ski-jump carrier. A ski jump carrier, neccesitates a rotary wing 'AEW/MASC' solution. Both STOVL aircraft and rotary wing 'AEW/MASC' will have less capability and be more expensive than non STOVL aircraft and fixed wing 'AEW/MASC'. The new carriers, unlike the RN current boats, are large enough to support CAT/TRAP operations.
STOVL can apparently be justified, though not with any figures in the public domain, on the grounds that STOVL training/currency is much easier than cat trap operations.
Interesting to read, in
Navy Matters | Future Aircraft Carrier Part 12
That back at the time of the Phantom/Bucc; cat trap ops were considered no big deal, in fact the 1964 Defence White paper assumed that RAF Phantoms would operate from the carriers too!
At the time, the 'High price help' were arguing the opposite case, in order to support the Spey Phantom, as their succesors are now arguing to justify JSF-B.
Interesting or what?