No argument from me LO - but
AFAIK the single-engine direction originated with the CALF/SSF requirement way back when. ISTR the USN had got themselves firmly wedded to 2 engines = better survivability (despite SLUF and Scooter) and took some persuading that going back to single was a good idea.
175kN is a lot of thrust to put through one unit..........
Pulse - you're not wrong, putting steam back into the surface fleet after ~15yrs wouldn't be easy, nor would fitting the dedicated steam plants into an AMR, assuming one can get a pair of sufficiently robust plants to fill the accumulators. You'd almost think someone had bet the farm on EMALS........
DZ - Seajet, F35, even F14s or Hellcats fitted with some sort of anti-gravity device - it makes no difference. It's not the aircraft - it's the inefficiency of operating f/w in penny-packets combined with the impact on topsides. No slight intended on Heinz Frick - suspect he had to have a sense of humour once "Allo Allo" aired on UK TV!