sevenstrokeroll
We are in a complete mess. Whether the carrier is "real" or not is less of an issue than that of having aircraft to embark, and having the skillsets needed. I think that this may be one possible advantage of a STOVL future - the training and skills issues will be less than for CTOL.
I have talked of my failiure to understand the current situation
here.
Originally Posted by WEBF
Maybe I am a simple thicko, but surely the situation is that we currently have no STOVL aircraft, having binned them and having been told that CTOL is the future. Our Pilots are now mostly flying CTOL aircraft (Hornet/Super Hornet) stateside, at cost of HM Government. The US wish that we still had a carrier capability. We currently have a carrier capable of STOVL fixed wing operations, which will be true most of this decade. Other European nations are in possession of Harriers - despite current economic woes. RN fixed wing pilot numbers declined in recent years, which is now something the RN is trying to correct (what will these people fly when not stateside?)
Originally Posted by WEBF
Presumably it will be easier to prepare future CVF crews with the skills needed for STOVL operations than for CTOL ones? Add to that the very real possibility of embarking Harriers aboard Illustrious/Queen Elizabeth? Why can we not embark foreign Harriers?
Borrowing a few AV8Bs from Spain or Italy (particularly the former as they may be needing the UK to chip in to the bailout fund) would give us aircraft to train with, and a real capability. Alternatively (and since the US want us to have a carrier capability) lease a few AV8Bs (with support Memorandum of Understanding).
HM Government could make this into a sucess story (with the political advantages that would bring) - but at the moment they just seem determined to make us all look like idiots.