Madbob
In principle, you make a good point, but it's not just a question of some "third rate state with AA-10A" (let alone Chucks and Ducks), the bigger question is what is this platform you refer to? About the only thing likely to be more expensive than Dave / F-35 / JCA / JSF is asking BAES to design "a cheap alternative" from scratch
For the record, I agree with the cats/traps/Dave-C point. If the decision is to continue with the two carriers (which I oppose, given the impact that this would have on the broader range of capabilities of the RN and the MoD in these financially straitened times), then the only sensible option is CTOL + Dave-C and E-2C/D. And if we can't afford that, then we shouldn't bother.
And then you have to less to worry about with opponents toting "Chucks", "Ducks" and other "Rockets"....
S41