NaB,
If there's one thing the RN have got a lot of recent experience on in the last few years it's operating varying types of air groups and aircraft mixes.
I absolutely agree that mixing FW and RW ops from a deck can be a real pain - I freely admit to throwing a hissy fit or two (or three) on Invincible when my beloved Sea Kings were elbowed off the deck by the shiny SHARs one they'd had their night's sleep. I was young, excitable and not wise. Not much of an excuse, but it's all I've got.
But you know what? We managed to get 11 Sea Kings, 9 SHARS and a Lynx working off that small deck, as well as countless other visitors, in absolutely awful weather conditions.
CVF has a deck about the size of 'Forrestal'. It's not going to move about as much as CVS. I have faith that, given the right command and control arrangements, the RN can deliver a really important flexible maritime aviation capability for the country. If that means re-inventing deck ops, heck, we've done that a few times over the years. (Angled deck. Steam catapult. Ski Jump). Not easy, not straightforward, but if you know what you're doing, doable.
The RN and the FAA know what they're doing. They'll do it.
Best Regards to all those who now know what they're going to do. What an opportunity. I envy them.
Engines