Speechless two
My appologies if I failed to make my post clear. I was talking abot the ability of the UK PLC to reinforce an at sea R09 Ark Group.
Whilst the Bucc's/F4's would have been more plentiful if she were still active then the AAR trail to her would have been simple for them. The problem For the replacing of the AEW Gannet would have been a lack of AAR to get down south from the UK. Therefore either a series of hop's down Africa/S America and then a dash for the Ark to get within range of their last take off. Or a convienant deck to take the Gannets to her. Hence the Chinooking that I talked about.
However, the reason I posted what I did was to talk about the "RAF" reinforcing the R09 Ark if they had too. As you must remember by the last "Commission" the Air Group was filled with a lot of "Light Blue" rather than just the occassional "exchange".
So therefore even if she had been in a similar state in 82 and on her final Commission then the RAF would have had the Deck Landing Simulator at Yeovilton and plenty of FG1's/Bucc's to reinforce her Air Group with.
Hope that explains my thoughts.
Trap One