What about the following mix of senior officers to operate aboard HMS QE2? Following the current tradition, why have 1 when you could have 4?
1 x Commodore / Rear Admiral - Maritime component commander
1 x Captain (RN) - Carrier commander
1 x Air Cdre / AVM - Air component commander
1 x Gp Capt - Carrier air gp commander
An Aircraft carrier is essentially a floating air base right therefore logically the Captain of the carrier would be the same rank as a Base commander yes? then surely the senior man involved in air ops on the base would be subordonate to the base commander?