An interesting argument Squirrel, but you have just made the case for binning most of the RAF as well, after all, doesn't the RAF's offensive capability simply duplicate the USAF's? I am not advocating this by any means, on the contrary I want stronger armed forces. All three are complmentary, not competitors with each other. The Falkland proved one lesson that is often overlooked, there will be times when the USA will not do our fighting for us and we will have to stand on our own two feet. The future of warfare in this century is not Afganistan, it will be wars over resources. OUr interests and the USA's won't always line up neatly. The CVF program is about the next fifty years, not the next five (how long I think the Afgan debacle will drag on for...).