Excelent discussion, my one input would be regarding the COD requirement, and I do not automatically mean C-2.
Supporting aircraft at sea organically is difficult in this world of contractor support and just in time logisitics. You need to be able to front load critical spares into your RFA before the TG sails. What we discovered on Ark's last deployment was that the contract and aircraft fleet in the UK could not support having certain assets 'stuck' at sea in the RFA or in the hangar.
This has always been the case of course and you can't have a logisitics mentality of "at least one of everything, just in case". It does drive a requirement though to be able to transport spares from the shore to the sea, with a FW COD giving a speedier and longer range capability than a RW asset.
Putting 202 Flt Lynx onto the deck gave added COD flexibility and allowed the Merlins to concentrate on other things (like ASW when you haven't got a sub escort). The extra lift of the Merlin was useful on occassions and Chinook broadens that considerably.
So if you can spare a RW asset that can lift what you haven't got, can afford the time to wait and move closer inshore, there is no shortage of COD options for QEC. Of course V-22 has the best of both but I can't see the UK buying any of those any time soon.
