So, the new govt' ( no less cynical than the last one, except they cancel hospitals as their punters can afford to go private ) will have 2 new carriers on their hands, which 'just happen' to be relatively easily convertible to 'cat n trap', ie easily sold off.
I'm a VSTOL / STOVL fan, ( pardon the pun ) but reports of the F-35B only being able to land on special concrete spots, and carrier deck crews shuffling heat pads underneath, don't sound like a versatile, Harrier type machine.
However I'm well aware of the possibility of this just being CTOL or even F-18 etc propaganda...
With the costs involved, I'd be pretty amazed if the RN ever see the carriers except going past on delivery, and astounded if they get F-35 of any type.
Yes, of course we need them, but the people making decisions will be out of their shiny seats in a few years and on mega-pensions, after that if we get a REAL need for such kit it's SEP; Someone Elses' Problem, no real loss of sleep losing pleb's - for them - abroad as long as the UK doesn't actually get invaded.
Last edited by Double Zero; 19th Jun 2010 at 05:23.