No they haven't. The Russ have never operated a STOVL carrier. Kiev and her ilk were VTOL using Forgers. Kuznetsov has been STOBAR from teh off with Flanker and Frogfoot variants.
Very valid point and it was my poor use of the acronym... What I meant to suggest was that the Russians are allegedly doing away with that hideous 'ski-slope' and fitting catapults.
Are they wrong when they made the decision to take that ship out of service and convert it to a conventional carrier with catapults?
Don't believe that's what they're doing, but happy to be corrected.
I must emphasis I have never read anything in concrete that states this ship will definitely have catapults but this is regularly being printed: (I have emphasised the word 'might'
In April 2010 it was announced that by the end of 2012 the ship will enter Severodvinsk Sevmash shipyard for a major refit and modernisation. The report states that the refit will include upgrades to the obsolete electronics and sensor equipment, installation of the new anti-aircraft system and increase of the air wing by the removal of the P-700 Granit anti-ship missiles. Upgrades might also include exchanging the troublesome steam powerplant to the gas-turbine or even nuclear propulsion and installation of catapults to the angled deck
ALL the footage I have seen of that carrier launching aircraft contradicts what they try to say about maximum take off weights. Granted the footage is quite meaningless and it could be that they could take off with the weights they claim but at what expense I can envisage them using the whole of the deck to get enough speed to take off but what g-forces would this impose on the fully laden aircraft? Same questions for the F-35B which I believe is not the lightweight Harrier?
I was told they were never going to be built with that ski jump we saw on the through deck cruisers and yet from all accounts these aircraft are going to struggle taking off with anything like a decent payload. Will that decision also be reviewed and another redesign considered?
You were told wrong. All QEC designs until teh official change to 'C' have had a large prominent ski-ramp at the bow. That remains the case for the STOVL option ship.
PLEASE accept that I hold you and your advise in the highest of regard but I am sure that many, many moons ago when it was decided to opt for the EMALS system I queried the removal of the ski-slope from the ship's design and I am sure it was your very good self that put me in my place by saying it was never designed to have it? I will tactfully suggest that I am only 70% sure it was you good self as my memory is not as good as it once was but if it were not you, then it would have to be someone of your stature (otherwise I would have queried it)
We have a number of pilots operating from US carriers, we have had the First Sea Lord going up for a 'jolly' in an F-18 so has this aircraft ever been considered as an option instead of the F-35B?
Will the RAF want the F-35B as a replacement for one of their other types?
Thank you very much for the informative replies and are you confident we are going to ever see the Royal Navy operating the F-35 in any guise?