[marknow]

+1 correct. A carrier battle group can't be everywhere, and the immense operational options available to a VTOL contingent make the program viable. I'm a former Navy pilot, and agree that VTOL gets the job done in many tight situations.

[jfoutz]

Yeah, if all 10 super carriers are tied up, I'm sure we'll have plenty of resources to keep those hundred million dollar planes ready to rock.

I realize sarcasm is a poor excuse for humor, but if all ten are unavailable (because of shooting and getting shot at), i think we (the US) would have a pretty rough time getting those planes working.

If their not available because of non-war reasons, it seems like the mission isn't really that big of a deal anyway.

I sort of think the US goes for the Cadillac solution for everything. Perhaps that's my bias because i only hear about the expensive stuff. I'd sort of expect there to be a nice gradient between really super high tech, down to cheap simple and reliable. But whatever, armchair quarterback.