Quote Originally Posted by Pannonian View Post
The carriers weren't designed without planes in mind. They were designed with the F-35 in mind. The RN, trusting the US's estimates, scheduled the retirement of its Harriers to be replaced in short order by F-35s. The F-35 isn't ready because they've been delayed, but the carrier is because they've been less delayed. The USMC refused to put aside their still working Harriers until the F-35 was a working concern. So they still have planes for their carriers.

The lesson in this should be to assume that solutions aren't going to be perfect until they're shown to be so. Stick with the status quo until the changed situation has proven itself.
I am aware they were designed to have planes. In fact during the building of the aircraft carriers they changed the planes they were to use twice I believe.

No solution is ever perfect - and no created product ever is so if one is awaiting perfection one will never have anything, and sticking to the status quo would have soldiers in red uniforms and bearskin hats.

If this is stating the UK needs to admit it is a Tier 2 country and refocus most spending on off the shelf solutions and not cutting edge "solutions" I would agree; that still does not address what exactly the carriers can be used for without sufficient ships to form proper carrier groups.