Gullwings,
What are you, a 12-year old spotter?
I'm please that you choose to harp on about the Falklands, which I'm old enough to remember, and which occurred when I was occasionally wearing RAF uniform, and occasionally flying HM's aeroplanes.
The Falklands war took place 26 years ago (halfway back to the Battle of Britain, and nearer in time to VE day than to today). Ancient history, in other words.
It was the last occasion when carriers were actually essential - and it was the last occasion when land based air power couldn't do it better, quicker and cheaper.
Carriers are an inflexible, slow, vulnerable and expensive way of delivering air power, a nice-to-have niche capability that we don't need and can't afford, and which threaten to distort the UK's forces and actually weaken the capability areas we actually need and use.
But which the Admirals won't give up without a fight.
So please don't lecture me on the 'good of the nation'.
Last edited by Jackonicko; 25th Dec 2008 at 00:02.