Where did the RAF fit in getting rid of the true carrier?
My banter is not anti-RAF per se, it is just comment based on experience and comment from people far more knowledgeable than I.
The last true carrier was to be CVA01 (ARK was just living out her useful life). As well as some pretty poor staff work by the RN in the 60's the most famous incident was the redrawing of the map of the Indian Ocean by the RAF to demonstrate the reach of shore based air defence. The same trick was attempted in the 2000s by the then CAS but spotted by an astute PSO to the Minister.
Talk to any senior FAA serving officer and ask him about the daily grind of fending off the RAF from constant dimunition of the FAA and AAC. Has the directed Merlin transfer started - has it h**l, are the RAF trying to replace RN engineers with RAF (because they trained too many) yes they are. The one area where the RAF are holding back is FJ Maritime in the USN because no RAF aircrew want to commit to a maritime, embarked, future.
Not ant-RAF but I do want to see fair play. In general terms if the effect is to be delivered by embarked capability it should be flown by maritime crews in the FAA who want to be there and who willingly accept the trials and tribulations of life at sea.
Way off thread but needs to be said.