On the topic of simulation and training - there are other things to be considered. Such as:
Royal Navy Carrier Strike Group put to the test (January 2017)
The Commander UK Carrier Strike Group (COMUKCSG) battle staff has been conducting transatlantic exercises ahead of the arrival in Portsmouth later this year of HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH.
RN personnel have been taking part in Fleet Synthetic Training exercises used to put US Navy carrier strike groups through their paces.
Working from the Maritime Composite Training System site at HMS COLLINGWOOD, US carrier strike groups, including the USS HARRY S. TRUMAN, have worked with ops room personnel from HMS DRAGON and HMS RICHMOND, both of which played the vital protection role for the carrier.
Regular and reserve personnel from across the Naval Service, as well as colleagues from the RAF and defence experts from the US have also been involved in the role-playing.
The latest exercise saw COMUKCSG tested in warfighting techniques involving HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH and 36 F-35B strike fighter jets.
The recent deployment of HMS Ocean
As reported
here, HMS
Ocean returned not so long ago from a deployment which included command of the CTF 50 task group.
Captain Pedre said the patrol was historic for the length of the deployment and because of the command role of the ship for Commander Task Force 50 in the Gulf - the first Royal Navy warship to take on this role with the American fleet which usually takes this lead role from one of their carriers.
He said their spell in charge of the force has served as a vital stepping stone when it comes to operating the UK’s new aircraft carriers in the region in the future.
Later...
The final confirmation of the RN’s ability to direct aircraft carrier strike operations – looking forward to the new QUEEN ELIZABETH ships joining the Royal Navy fleet - was a three-day exercise in the central Gulf involving four navies, 19 ships and ten helicopters.
“We have pushed the boundaries of what we can operate,” says Capt Pedre. “This deployment will stand us in good stead with the QUEEN ELIZABETH.”
So what of this exercise -
Unified Trident? It does get a mention
here:
The ship has operated with 12 different planes, including a number of surveillance aircraft.
Does that mean twelve different types, or just twelve aircraft?
Yes - ship/aircraft integration matters
On this thread, and others most notably throughout the post SDSR 10
Decision to axe Harrier thread, many have persisted on describing carriers simply as floating airfields, and ignoring the role the ship plays in enabling flying.
I am reminded of
this (from an RN Pilot) from a 2006 PPRuNe thread:
....if we want to tell MPs that we have a carrier ready to go that means getting the whole ship working to recover and throw off jets. That means the MCO getting the ATO, the stokers getting the donks up to ramming speed, the briefo's being ready on time, the tractor drivers getting the strike ready at the back having seen them all taxy into the grave yard......
...and
from 2013 (and getting ready for QEC - including the use of simulation):
The bigger issue is getting everyone else to be ready for a large, busy flight deck. At least there is a team of people looking into this issue and both deckcrew, aircrew and engineers are being appropriately positioned to give them some exposure to this dangerous environment prior to QEC.
As for getting the right ship's head and Wind Over Deck for aircraft launch and recovery, see
this from the ARRSE CVF thread:
At the end of the day it is the OOW who decides Green or Red. FLYCO can jump up and down all they like but they do not have Charge of the ship It is all in those words "I have the ship". However when conducting flying operations a CVF or LPH will have the FLYCO request flying course to meet the flying programme. The OOW will give a approval to commence operations but can always cancel that authorisation if they need to manoeuvre etc. At the end of the day a 23 year old junior officer has a lot of power on a warship and only the CO, XO or other delegated officer (say Spec N) can override them and then only by taking Charge with the word 'I have the ship" or issuing a conning order.