A long time reader of Pprune threads, this debate is the first to prompt my twopence worth.
I have to say that apart from DBTW and Wrathmonk, I don't agree with much here.
The Fleet Air Arm will only lose fixed wing if Navy wants it to.
Others, bigger and badder than anyone in current lofty political, bureaucratic and defence circles, have tried that caper before, and the net result was Sea Harriers ruling the air over Port Stanley.
As for the RAF, the lobbies and bars of Wesminister are now home to a creeping discussion by MPs of both parties as to why the Navy, Marines and Army are always ready to go and unleash grief on the bad guys, but the RAF has a Peking telephone directory of excuses as to why its aircraft are so rarely available.
Lastly, someone here claims to work as journalist. I have considerable experience of the media, and have yet to so much as hear an unsubstantiated rumour of a hack writing anything when off-duty, let alone when there's no pay cheque involved