it's about the survival of the FAA FW tradition and nothing else.
ICBM,
You are right and you are wrong at the same time. Right that it is about survival of the FAA (not just FW) against a predatory RAF. Despite CAS's assurances at the HCDC the RAF have an active campaign to remove the RN FAA from the orbat and it is being led by the same bald irishman as ever.
Wrong that it is nothing else. It is also about the survival of an attitude and state of mind that wants retain the understanding and will to operate from the sea. The RAF has no history at all of wanting to do this and will consequently always seek to minimise its interaction....the argument will be the same, and as you have implied, "its simple stupid". Well it isn't as has been proven over many many years.
To paraphrase a song "When the sea gets rough, the tough get going" i.e. it is when the weather gets rough that the innate understanding of the sea borne in an aviator who has the will to go to sea in his inner belief that the envelope is explored. We know from years of experience that the psychology of the RAF (as opposed to individual pilot willingness) is to restrict operations from the sea when conditions become marginal.
And if we end up with a non-RN FAA then where will the leadership come from to train and inculcate aviation into the myriad of deck crews and ship's companies that all contribute to the thing we call flying from the sea? It is the one question the RAF have consistently refused to answer.
Next time you meet the Irish 3* MAA ask him.