lj101 and justanopinion,
I thnk we have culminated.
I think we can agree that the Carrier provides additional flexibility for certain scenarios.
But....
It cannot be assumed to be cheaper or more responsive in all, or indeed many, of those scenarios.
..and it will invariably require land based support.
Now all we need to agree on is how much is that additional flexibility worth paying for....
These sweeping statements of "faster, cheaper" have to be questioned and tested more robustly before we commit large proportions of our dwindling Defence budget.