To High Spirits point
Stick 3 Bob tanks (another 7200kg of fuel) in a Mk5 Chinook and you have, indeed, overcome the range issue.
Just what payload are you going to be putting in that a/c? Not an F135 Power Module- internal or external, that’s for sure.
Just because “in the past” we haven’t needed COD aircraft, doesn’t mean that the way we will operate a 21st Century carrier means we don’t need one now. There is a huge amount of learning taking place at the moment in the way we WILL operate the QE and F-35 and it is completely at odds with a lot of current experience.
Also we can’t simply simply load ourselves up with additional F-35 DSPs. Unfortunately the F-35 supply chain has not be designed that way.
I’d also suggest that the USN MV-22s are not being procured with enough spare a/c to service allies who may find themselves needing to use their capability in a time of need. To resort to that as a ‘plan’ is shameful, in my opinion.