Conscription.

[Mogster]

Indeed. Though, had the QE class been built as CATOBAR - which I believe they still have passive provision built in so that (in theory) they can be converted in later life - we'd effectively have three given that the distance between Portsmouth and Tulon isn't that great in the grand scheme of things.

The Americans have operated aircraft off the Charles de Gaulle, I'm not sure if the French have operated off a Nimitz-class but I suspect they have.

CATOBAR is just really expensive, is technically demanding, requires lots of crew and has high training requirements.

French Rafales and USN FA-18s have taken off and landed on each others carriers but it happens rarely and seems to be more a way of keeping French Navy pilots fresh when the CDG is laid up, which it is often. Basically CATOBAR interoperability is so difficult it hardly happens and, that I know of, French crews, support and aircraft have never operated for a full deployment to a USN carrier Or USN crews and aircraft to the CDG.

Meanwhile interoperability for QE carrier STOVL operations is so simple that we’ve already seen full deployments of USMC F-35Bs crews and support to QE carriers. With Italy, Japan. And others coming onboard with F-35B we’ll no doubt be seeing more of this.

France should go STOVL…

 

[najaB]

CATOBAR is just really expensive, is technically demanding, requires lots of crew and has high training requirements.

Once electromagnetic catapult systems have all the bugs worked out most of that expense, the complexity and training requirements disappears. No need for a high-pressure steam system and all that goes with it.

Yes arrested landings take more skill, given that UAVs are now capable of managing it, again the arguments against it aren't as strong as they one were.

 

[Mogster]

Once electromagnetic catapult systems have all the bugs worked out most of that expense, the complexity and training requirements disappears. No need for a high-pressure steam system and all that goes with it.

Yes arrested landings take more skill, given that UAVs are now capable of managing it, again the arguments against it aren't as strong as they one were.

The USN still seem to be struggling with EMALS. Compared to a longer deck, faster ship and a big ramp it still looks expensive and a tech and training burden. It’s often overlooked that STOVL carriers can launch in heavier seas than CATOBAR.

It’ll be interesting to see if the RN ever fit the proposed EMALS cat at the side of the ramp on the QE carriers. All seems to have gone quiet. it would be useful for heavier drones, refusers and AEW particularly. Although you’d probably need wires then also for landing, more cost, more crew, more training.

 

[najaB]

It’s often overlooked that STOVL carriers can launch in heavier seas than CATOBAR.

That's true. But then that needs to be balanced against the improved capability that catapult launch brings. The F35C can carry nearly a tonne more armaments two hundred kilometres further than the F-35B can.

Also, is it not still the case that the F-35B can't land vertically with a full bomb load?

 

[ainsworth74]

Also, is it not still the case that the F-35B can't land vertically with a full bomb load?

I don't think it can but they've developed the technique of a slow rolling landing on the carrier using a blend of vertical lift and forward momentum to do a very short landing on the flight deck with no wires and without needing to land vertically allowing the return whilst still fully laden with expensive munitions.

 

[Ediswan]

I don't think it can but they've developed the technique of a slow rolling landing on the carrier using a blend of vertical lift and forward momentum to do a very short landing on the flight deck with no wires and without needing to land vertically allowing the return whilst still fully laden with expensive munitions.

'They' in this case being the Royal Navy and BAE Systems.

 

[ainsworth74]

'They' in this case being the Royal Navy and BAE Systems.

Yes quite so! Risks of typing hurriedly on a phone keyboard one sometimes becomes a bit to brief and accidentally omits proper credit

Indeed from the horses mouth:

 

[Three-Nine]

Bringing stores back to the carrier isn't just a problem for S/VTOL aircraft, though it is more of an issue for them than conventional aircraft. The F-14A for example could in theory carry six AIM-54 Phoenix missiles (a very large weapon) but I believe this wasn't done too often in practice because it couldn't land on a carrier with them. I'm not sure about the later models, like the F-14D, with more powerful engines though.

 

[Yew]

CATOBAR is just really expensive, is technically demanding, requires lots of crew and has high training requirements.

French Rafales and USN FA-18s have taken off and landed on each others carriers but it happens rarely and seems to be more a way of keeping French Navy pilots fresh when the CDG is laid up, which it is often. Basically CATOBAR interoperability is so difficult it hardly happens and, that I know of, French crews, support and aircraft have never operated for a full deployment to a USN carrier Or USN crews and aircraft to the CDG.

Meanwhile interoperability for QE carrier STOVL operations is so simple that we’ve already seen full deployments of USMC F-35Bs crews and support to QE carriers. With Italy, Japan. And others coming onboard with F-35B we’ll no doubt be seeing more of this.

France should go STOVL…

I'm less sure with the complications from Drone adoption and the limitations on AWACS, an E2 is much more capable than a helicopter with a Searchwater Radar.

 

[najaB]

As would I. But if, say, China was to sidle up to an African nation and offer them billions of dollars to let them build a military base and vote certain ways in the UN, what are we going to counter with?

Speaking of which...

China seeking bases in Gabon, Equatorial Guinea?

China eyes Africa's Western coast. China seeks to increase its footprint in Western Africa. US blocking China's efforts to establish military bases in Africa. The US is alarmed, Beijing has been trying to station its forces along the Atlantic coast of African countries while Washington has been...

www.wionews.com