I kind of agree with Bastardeux in that we are paying an awful lot for something nowhere near a Nimitz type capability. Where I disagree is that I think we should spend more to get that capability (not Nimitz, but it would be nice if it was close).
Anyone who thinks we could operate 36 F-35 off it, except in a "best-effort, national survival shut everything else down" case is, IMO, slightly optimistic. You could probably get the aircraft and crews from the OCU and various staff jobs and fly the aircraft out there (probably at different standards of kit etc) but how are you going to change all the stores? Even if the QE was alongside in Portsmouth it would be a huge job (workspace configurations, correct crew etc) then she would have to get to this ultra important mission at a TG speed of, say 15 kts. So we need a "best effort....." that it is OK if we don't turn up to for a month.
Last, but of course most importantly, is logistics! This is the conventional v nuclear point - price is nearly irrelevant if you need to spend a large proportion of your time not fighting but resupplying. Especially if you are doing a HIC, 36 F-35 type of thing. Luckily the RN has supply ships in service or funded to adequately support QE. Oh wait, no we don't.
I'm not really trying to have a go at the RN, except perhaps for some v senior types who have allowed the decline. I think the RN needs some serious investment to bring it up to a reasonable capability.
We need to be realistic a stop thinking of the QE class in Nimitz terms. It will be a large, multi-role, flexible ship that will be able to do a massive range of things pretty well (PPP, disaster relief, LitM....). It just won't be great at anything and certainly not Carrier Strike if you think in US terms.
no MPA for a small island nation is easily the single worst decision ever, although allowing cameras at private parties in Vegas comes close.
I wholeheartedly endorse this statement.