Originally Posted by
Autorev
That's really my point. How close to the targets is the QE going to get? The ROA of a fully loaded F35B , particularly in LO fit, would necessitate QE sitting well within range of anti shipping missiles. Add to that the list of currently unfounded enablers identified in the recent NAO report, and the capability appears somewhat impotent.
If the carrier will limited to projecting soft power, so be it, but if we want it to do more than that, then let's resource and equip it to do so.
I'm certain any adversary that the QE could be used against, is more than able to make a capability assessment of the threat it presents....
That's the
raison d'etre of the Type 45 AD (Air Defence) destroyers and any accompanying allied AD escorts, not to mention the F-35B in AD role.
The enemy also has the C4ISTAR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Information/Intelligence, Surveillance, Targeting Acquisition and Reconnaissance) problem of getting close enough to the carrier to locate and and identify it, not to mention providing accurate targeting information to any ASMs.
FS Charles de Gaulle with her Rafales and USS Kearsarge with her much shorter range AV-8Bs managed well enough off Libya during ELLAMY. Their aircraft were able to fly multiple sorties each day owing to their closer proximity to the target area.