BAe have already carried out conversions and tests on a EF, and have found out that it works. Plus, the carriers are currently in building, so don't require any expensive retrofitting - their already designed to bolt a cat and trap on anyway, if need be.
Really! Was that on DA2 or DA4, the only reason I ask is that when I worked on them they hadn't had any such testing carried out, and I haven't heard anything from my collegues that still work at Warton to substantiate your claim. I would have thought that would be quite a major rework too - beefed up landing gear and all the fittings that it bolts to, beef up the hook, install a hook retraction hydraulic system, and beef up the frames that the hook attaches to. Then theres all the EMC testing that needs to be carried out to put an Air Force fighter onto a boat
Yep - great way to spend 9 billion quid I'd say, or you could just by some F-35's