Backwards,
I am with you to what you will probably think a surprising degree. I think the RN has in the past been devoid of imagination and wit when designing the training schedule for their aircraft and the crab ones they hosted. I think they have been keen to have jets on the deck to the detriment of training opportunities.
The other side of tthe coin is that the RAF, or personalities within it (in the JFH case) were sea shy, thought that no good could possibly come from being embarked and assumed that the jets would be locked in a hangar whilst their air and ground crew would be forced to sing shanties all day long.
There is of course a lovely middle ground occupied by those of both cloths. Sadly in my experience the inhabitants were all Cdrs/ Wg Cdrs and below.