These Pilots are gaining far more than just being prepared for the means of taking off and landing on a carrier, they are gaining huge experience in Maritime Strike Ops in a completely multirole 4.5 generation fighter that is deployed on operations around the world. This is the experience which is of relevance to the F35B in the future, more so than anything else we can do at this time.
Going on exchange with the USMC is almost irrelevant, as we keep being told the F35B is going to be so easy to fly even a Tornado pilot could do it. Equally the USMC are not in the carrier business for the same reasons so we are going to learn far more from the USN.
at the time of the demise of the GR9 there were more qualified and 'in-practice' RAF pilots than FAA ones.
Pathetic.