'WE Branch Fanatic' asked: 'Is the lack of a STOVL aircraft in UK service causing problems in developing future landing aids, in addition to causing problems with training both pilots and others? I am assuming that the RVL approach speed is below the stall speed of non STOVL aircraft.
How
do you trial aircraft landing aids without aircraft?..."
I do not have sources inside the UK Armed Forces nor any other force these days so I rely on public information only. It seems to me that these days computer simulations are excellent for all the development described, despite the 'thoughts' of some. Here is an example albeit for the X-47B (I believe I have given ample examples of how the VACC Harrier simulated the F-35B before it existed and how computer sims in UK / USA are in wide use for various purposes for not only the F-35B).
However as always the real deal needs to be tested and so it was thus...
X-47B UAS completes first arrested landing aboard aircraft carrier Brandon Lewis July 11, 2013
"...The UAS [X-47B] flight is completely autonomous, relying solely on computer programs such as
GPS navigation, advanced flight control software, and a high-integrity network connection for flight guidance.
"It has taken several years of software development,
thousands of simulated landings in high-fidelity labs, and many hours of flight test in the Patuxent River landing pattern to prove this aircraft is up for the challenge," says Captain Jaime Engdahl, Program Manager, Navy
Unmanned Combat Air Systems."
X-47B UAS completes first arrested landing aboard aircraft carrier - Military Embedded Systems