Well the decision is made. Now the UK needs to get on with the job, get the ships built, get the crew trained and get some aircraft onboard. The Sea King will be going out of service in 2016 and MASC will be provided by another rotary platform in the short term, most likely Merlin, which whilst an improvement on Sea King, will still be restricted in range. The ships will not only carry F35B but also be able to operate Rotary Wing including CH53 and VH22. The advantage will also be that the Chinook can be put in the hangar with rotors spread, so the ground crew will no longer be struggling to do maintainence in sub zero temps/high heat/high winds.
The main issue will be that the RN and the RAF must stop tearing each over apart over what amount to several dozen pilots. I understand the RAF's focus on bums on seats and that no-one except fast jet pilots can be remotely capable of leading the Air Force and the RNs wish to get back into the business of projecting (naval and air) power across the globe. To be operationally effective and justify the expense of the capability, the F35B must operate at sea for most of the time. The method of operation that JFH utilised, might well be good for a land campaign such as the Stan, but for virtually every other scenario, the two services must get the best out of the ships. It is not important what colour uniform the stick-mokeys wear. What is important is that the capability of Carrier Strike is not attenuated by a desire to keep the aircraft 'landside' for the majority of the time.
These two ships, together with their air groups, will protect the interests of the UK for decades to come. They will have the ability to promote the friendly face of the UK (yes cocktail parties etc), promote UK business but also use a big stick by (apologies to Sean Connery) 'schitting of their coascht and lischening to their rock and roll' and when the time comes to project force, without worrying if the locals are going to let you fly from their airfields.
The first crews join QE next year I believe. I for one look forward to the UK making a success of the ships and the aircraft, recovering a capability that was lost in 1979 and the lack of which, has limited our contribution to protecting the UK's interests ever since.