You beat me to it.
I think JTO is of the opinion that if it isn't a Nimitz with 50 TACAIR, Growler, Hawkeye etc then it isn't Carrier Strike.
I would suggest that there may be more than one level of CS.
Crowsnest + F35 = Air defence. Perhaps not to the same scale as E2 plus F14, but those days are gone for the cousins as well. To suggest that she'll not deploy with those cabs in the event of an air threat is a bit of a stretch.
ASW - I suspect 9 Merlin may be a significantly more potent organic ASW capability than half a dozen SH60.
CIWS. CIWS is CIWS. RIM116 is a PDMS, which strangely enough can be applied to SeaCeptor, for which a fit is possible (if not funded). POint being, the ship is big enough and capable enough.
There are some elements that the USN are used to having that the RN will have to relearn. Again, there's room in the ship and in the power infrastructure.
It's a question of political appetite.