[SampleMan]

This already happened. When the RN got rid of their conventional CVs they gave up the issue of air control. Their swan song was in the Falklands when their Harriers faired far better than they had any reasonable chance to against the Argentine Mirages.

To save money, the UK had excepted the idea that the RN would never operate outside of the RAF’s air umbrella, and despite the Falklands, they have persisted in this world view.

The RN Harriers were retired years ago in favor of the cost saving measure of putting RAF Harriers on their STOL CV’s.

The VTOL/STOL F-35 has promised to bring back some autonomy to the RN, but there is still no real AWACS capability and it may be too late for the RN to recover.

[Tallguy]

Does this mean that the RAF presently controls the outcome of this dispute? ie. the RAF already controls all tactical jets & pilot training. The RN would have to apply to the governmnent to GET IT BACK?