Originally Posted by my-boffin
that was unclear? The "Royal Navy" does not / did not get to specify anything. Read the middle paragraphs again mate, the answer lies there.
There's also an entire sub-theme on the perception of risk for EMALS or steam cats and their maturity and manning costs over the last fifteen years, but that is only a sub-plot. The meat of it pertains to organisational rivalry and budgets.
I was a bit on the slow side today and point taken.
I confess to being impressed by the progress being made with that first ship and it is certainly taking shape.