Quote Originally Posted by pvebber View Post

The current CSG (Carrier Strike Group) is, in the parlance of Capt Wayne Highes (Fleet Tactics author) "tactically unstable" meaning that too much combat power is tied up in too few platforms to fight effectively. When you couple that with entering a period of "offensive ascendency" you have a very unstable and risky "Fleet design". I recommed reading Bradley Fiskes The Navy as a Fighting Machine. to get some insight. The problem is that the "machine" is coming up against the stops of response time and command and control, with the sheer volume of attacking missiles and paltry few seconds to deal with them ushering in a new era of offensive superiority.
That is why I question the wisdom of the UK with their two new 65000t carriers. I would have thought that 3 or 4 smaller ones would make more sense. Also with regards to round the clock availability. This last point is seen as a weakness here in NZ where we only have 2 frigates. One has been in Auckland for a while now for a bit of a facial. That leaves just one in the game.

Some interesting points from this article: http://www.naval-technology.com/projects/cvf/

A number of protective measures such as side armour and armoured bulkheads proposed by industrial bid teams have been deleted from the design in order to comply with cost limitations.

The carrier might be built for but not with the installation of a close in weapons system. Another systems which could be fitted if budget were made available would be two 16-cell vertical launchers for the Aster missiles.

Also, the complement of aircraft seems a bit disappointing at 40, for a ship that is two thirds the size of a US carrier. I assume the reduction in aircraft relative to the reduction in displacement is not a linear equation. And that may well be the answer to my above mentioned concern.