Surely cats and traps give a vastly greater opportunity for progress and development in the future than the utterly limiting vertical/ski-jump option. Think COD, AEW, let alone a less payload limited strike force. How does the mega-price mega maintenance swiss-watch F35 alone with no prospect of real back-up/support or true carrier ops answer to that?
Looks like a no-brainer to me. Bring it on! The FAA back in business as a real fighting force with a future and potential for development. With the money saved we can have Hawkeyes too...and convert the poor old baggies for proper helo tasks. And so on. And on. And on.
Who in the world are we going to come up against that squadrons of the "30yr old" F18 will disadvantage us c/f a mere handful of the F35? No one! That's who.
Result! Bring it on!
Before we know it we'll have a Navy to be proud of again, instead of one to be sorry for.
Last edited by Agaricus bisporus; 3rd Aug 2010 at 20:46.