Originally Posted by
idle bystander
Indeed, and not just aircrew. MSOCS and his like forget that an aircraft carrier is a WARSHIP. Satisfactory operation of the weapon system requires very close coordination of all the ship's departments. As an example see this:
Judging by the position fot the splash target, which is about half a mile (1.5mins at 20kt) astern, and has yet to complete the turn, the ship has been steady on the flying course for less than a minute; and the first aircraft is crossing the round-down, with the next turning onto finals. Meanwhile, on the horizon, whilst the main body steams blithely on and the anti-submarine screen has been adjusted to cover the carrier. I'd like to see any shore-based ATCO pull off that feat of timing.
Warship? You believe the Carrier is the same sort of warship as an FFDD?! Cdre Kyd has himself stated that the carrier "is a floating airfield", so he (I presume) is also of "my ilk". Seriously, the floating airfield requires defending - not like many land-based airfields sure, but FOBs require defences of a different nature - but ultimately the weapon system on a carrier are the organic assets that take off and land on it. A couple of CIWS and .50 cals does not make the carrier the same "ilk" of warship as an FFDD. Not by a long stretch, yet the fundamentals of fire and flood control, manoeuvres and air C2 endure.
Stop deluding yourselves - the Captain of HMS Queen Elizabeth hath said so from his very mouth and he knows better than you!
Oh, and ref your elitist point about land-based AFCO successfully carrying out the timing, i've personally witnessed absolute carnage at sea when I flew Harriers from CVS's....at one stage we were invited to conduct Case 3 approaches and join the "cake stand", only to have to point out to the sea-based ATCO that the cake stand at that time was in a mountain. The ship was too close to land and pointing the wrong way. Oh, and not to mention the numerous times "mother" wasn't where she promised she'd be at the end of a mission when fuel was low... Don't be too smug about crabs vs fish heads; both have stunned and embarrassed themselves in equal measure and neither can claim superiority over the other.