DITYIWAHP
Not offended, but your small font was hard to read. Some of us need glasses, don't you know!
Foghorn Leghorn
My comment about Harriers causing the Libyan regime to foul themselves was an ironic (or perhaps sarcastic would be a better description) reflection on all the (MOD produced) hype over the use of Apaches from
Ocean.
FODPlod
My worry is more about basic things such as having enough chockheads with experience of working with jets at sea, and all the other sailors and parts of ship mentioned many times over, including
here.
I would suggest that basics are basics, regardless of whether the future is V/STOL or involves "Cats and traps". 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?
Most of my comments, incidentally, are what I saw or was told personally. The responsibility for flying operations lies with the entire ship, not just the embarked squadrons. We ought to try not to lose all these skills.