HMS Compromise
I'm sure its a great design and built to very high standards but...it could have been a contender.
The lack of a nuclear power plant and a catapult have severely compromised its effectiveness, why the no nuclear, as others have said probably cost. Its not as if the Royal Navy do not have any nuclear experience with their fleet of subs.
With a kettle powering the thing there would have been considerably more space available for (EDIT JP stuff, thanks HTB) and other niceties. Should WW III break out and the enemy target your oilers and other resupply ships at least you can still move and keep your defensive systems online, perhaps sailing for a friendly port, run out of oil for propulsion and thats it, your somebodies salvage.
Fuel consumption ,well I can understand its classified, I guess the turbines are to be used for a high speed dash or to assist getting the JSF airborne sailing flat out into the wind. The onboard diesels are probably for cruising and powering the ship board systems.
The QE 2 (a few yrs old now is approx 70,000 tonnes displacement) has a range of 7,500 miles at cruising speed or flat at at max speed a duration of ten days. Could these figures be in the ball park for the new carrier.
Crowsnest, well its better than nothing but its no Hawkeye, nor can the new carrier handle those useful cargo lugging aircraft the USN use.
And the lack of cats means your JSF's payload is a compromise, just how much weight can the JSF can carry using the ski ramp will compromise its range/ speed and useful weapons load.
As others have said its probably down to cost (nuclear plant and staffing) plus a bit of politics, also not every port in the world welcomes a nuclear ship. So the new carrier will be able to sail anywhere, part Royal naval asset, part royal yacht Britannia.
No doubt it will be a useful ship but I feel it could have been so much more.
Last edited by Fat Magpie; 7th Jul 2014 at 15:06.