If our French friends can operate the E-2, and do, I think NATO (and as well the EU and WEU formations that operate when a NATO consensus isn't available) would be very well off with another CV operating AEW platform of such quality.
If our friends on the other side of the pond will operate a CV again, there is a lot of sweetness and light that will result.
Here's hoping. Whether it is F-35 or F-18 or something else that flies from the deck isn't as important as having a floating airfield ... unless you are
dead certain the NATO/EU E-3 AWACS and future variants will meet all needs.
Originally Posted by taxydual
To build massively expensive floating assets (carriers) and then purchase massively expensive aerial assets (F35's) to defend the massively expensive floating assets is madness.
Since that isn't what the (expensive) aerial assets are for, would you care to try that thought again?
Put another way, you don't use F-35's to hunt mines nor submarines.
