MGD,
I've stayed silent here, but can do so no longer.
The FAA are not carrying chips on their shoulders, they have been betrayed and are justifiably angry. They were stitched up by the RAF, and much more outrageously by CDS.
You would do well to remember that the FAA put its trust in the RAF and handed over its FW aviation assets (and highly capable assets at that) to form Joint Force Harrier - hardly 'eat or be eaten' in my view. Since then, it's been downhill traffic all the way, culminating in the SDSR.
Oh, and in case you missed it, the Navy also lost one of the carriers before it's even been finished - only one is now planned to be brough to full 'cat and trap' capability.
As I always say in posts like this, I have the highest regard for the RAF as a highly professional and well organised land based service. I have many very good friends in the RAF and enjoyed working with them for many years. However, they have absolutely no corporate or cultural commitment to the idea of maritime strike, and it was, in my view, sadly inevitable that the JFH experiment would end as it has.
Yes, the 3000nm Tornado strikes are magnificent feats of flying - but given what is happening on the ground, they are going to be of limited use. What is very probably needed now is precision medium CAS that can react in minutes, not hours. A carrier can provide that. Now the UK can't. As ever. making this point does not take away my admiration for the quite excellent RAF crews who are carrying out their missions.
Very best regards,
Engines