That article is 5 months old. Has he spoken out during the Libya crisis? If he has I am concerned you have not linked to it Why is he not putting his weight and influence behind the Phoenix Think Tank? Is it because he can see the bigger picture and knows which battles to fight and which not? Spend money regenerating Harrier onto the current carrier and who knows what the future holds. Just a different view and one I know you would never agree with!
Or perhaps he is keeping his powder dry? Regenerating Harrier and or embarking foreign ones wouldn't just be about the current carrier, but also Queen Elizabeth and more importantly keeping the skills mentioned above. There is much talk of personnel being sent on exchange with the US and French Navies - but can more than a handful of individual be trained that way - what about the basics?
Will there be exchanges for lots of chockheads - moving live jets on deck 24 hours a day in all weather in rough sea states, the people who fuel, arm and work on aircraft on deck - amongst jet blast (and FOD issues) the OOW and bridge team - who have to put the ship in the right place, direction and speed for aircraft to take off or land, Ops Room personnel - who have to operate sensors/weapons and talk to aircraft, maintainers of this equipment, landing aids maintainers, the ME watchkeepers keeping a nice level deck and increasing speed when needed, ATC types, Fighter Controllers, senior Officers in the carrier (Cdr(Air), Lt Cdr(Flying), Captain, XO) - they need to know how to run things, senior Officers elsewhere (MOD, Navy Command, task group commanders) who need to know how aircraft are used as task group weapons, etc?
These basics are basics whether the future is V/STOL or CTOL.
PS Is there any way of removing (Including Costs) from the thread title?
Last edited by WE Branch Fanatic; 2nd May 2011 at 12:55.