Lord West is always good for a Tabloid headline! MSOCS and NaBs posts cover the reality of the situation. I do not know of anyone else currently in Dark Blue getting too upset about this.
Ali, the choice of Carrier design and aircraft is covered elsewhere on here but don't believe everything you read in the media about F-35B. Take both positive and negative with a pinch of salt to find the truth in the middle.
On your other points - rotary assets can do a pretty good job in the roles described, fixed wing aircraft are not really required, although F-35B ISTAR capability is useful. So:
i) Merlin Mk 2 is a potent ASW asset, possibly the best rotary ASW platform in the world at the moment. A lot of improvements over the Mk 1.
ii) Crowsnest AEW helo (Merlin bagger) has announced which design won the competition and Thales are working on further testing at the moment. AAR refueling may be an issue. EW/ELINT capability is built into F-35.
iii) CoD doesn't have to be done by a Greyhound. On CVS and Ocean we did/do CoD with Lynx, Merlin and occassionally had stuff flown out to us by V-22. As V-22 has been modded to enable it to fit the largest F-35 engine components in the back, I'm sure people are looking at how the UK can work with our US friends if the need arises. Going back to ii) the V-22 has also done trials as a V/STOL AAR asset. Whilst too expensive for the UK to buy V-22 there is no reason to think that we couldn't host US assets, if the operational situation calls for it.
Last edited by WhiteOvies; 27th Oct 2015 at 12:16.
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