Coming back to the small deck vs. large deck and F-35B issue:

Rust-eaten CV 67 does not seem to be the right choice. If CVN 65 was
indeed switched to the joint USN/USMC "floating forward airfield"
role, I think it would be just a kind of a single experiment - like
with one of older assault ships (USS Inchon?) being converted into a
large mine-hunting ship with helicopters on board - more than a serial
solution.

On the other hand, with fewer squadrons/aircraft embarked, now there
is more place on Nimitz-class carriers for possible USMC or special
ops helicopters (as it was already made in the mid-1990s aboard USS
Theodore Roosevelt).

And as for F-35B, I think it is a matter of comparison between costs
and capabilities that will decide if the STOVL version is produced or
not, either making it the first supersonic STOVL fighter in service,
or dooming it to share Yak-141 fate.

Best regards,
Jacek

superhornet at o2 dot pl


On 25 Kwi, 14:20, Henry J Cobb wrote:
My fear is that stripping the strike aircraft off of the gators while
land based squadrons are depleted to fill the big decks will leave the
Marines to repeat The Battle Off Samar with a different outcome.

There is no alternative to the F-35B.

-HJC