If you think about it, the "bonkers" decision was made yeas ago, when the RAF were given the original Harriers. Some of you may remember that the original tasking of the UK-based GR1/GR3 fleet was to act as CAS / flying artillery for the Royal Marines in the event of a Soviet push into Norway (as was 3CBAS and elements of 845/846) Would have made more sense to have handed them to Navy control, maybe under a joint manning agreement like 3CBAS used. Then all this interservice conflict would never have happened