Well,
any capability is better than none.
By the way, the author is the same Magic Mushroom as can be found here on PPRuNe, in other words a VERY experienced RAF ISTAR type with a great deal of operational experience. I think his views, expressed on ARRSE, here, or elsewhere, can be considered credible. Sadly, such expert views (on all sorts of things) were most likely ignored during the SDSR process.
Of course, if the GR9 had recieved Link 16 and ASRAAM....
I shall be good and not mention the Sea Harrier. Nor the fact that India tried to buy some stored ones in early 2009, only for the MOD to say no. Presumably someone thought that they must still be airworthy?
Meanwhile, over
here someone has mentioned the deterrent effect of carriers with respect to the current situation with Libya...
The Libyan Navy consists of two Koni Class frigates, of which only one is serviceable, the other being sans engines; two very elderly Nanuchka class corvettes (circa 1972), nine Combattante II fast attack craft (only five serviceable) and twelve, even older (ex-Soviet) Osa class missile boats that have seen better days (only four serviceable). If one were to look at the fire power of the same it become immediately obvious that these vessels would be no match for the two British warships in the area, three Italian warships including the aircraft carrier “Cavour” off Malta and the Chinese missile frigate “Xuzhou” steaming eastwards from Alexandria. Then add the unquantifiable number of French, Greek & Turkish warships in the watching – the hypothesis does not add up – the Libyan navy would be wiped out in minutes!! Only a “madman” would contemplate going against such a force – why do you think “Cumberland” got into and out of Benghazi without any intervention on the part of the Libyans? Probably because the “Carvour” and "Charles de Gaulle" with a hangers full of AV-8B MkII’s, "Rafales" and "Super Etandards" was not far away!!!