If 42 jets in 2023 is an acceleration, the previous program was remarkably slow. Eight by 2023 would have meant that the CVs would have been dependent on the Marines even for work-up as FJ carriers. But before that we'd been told that there would have been two squadrons and an OCU to support CVs joining the fleet.
It also depends on whether we're talking about buy year or delivery year.
However, it's more likely that the old plan is being spun as an expansion.
Last edited by LowObservable; 22nd Nov 2015 at 16:17.