Britain's planned F-35A purchase concerns aircraft that cannot operate from the Queen Elizabeth-class carriers. The criticism is that an unspecified future uncrewed strike aircraft is being expected to make up carrier aircraft numbers and strike capacity. At the time of this discussion, no type or defined procurement program had been selected for that strike role. Successive short-term decisions are blamed for the gap between the aircraft purchase and the carrier force's requirements.
Notable Point · 1:09:50-1:10:47
Britain's F-35A purchase and undefined carrier drone
Buying land-based F-35As while expecting a still-undefined uncrewed carrier aircraft exposes a gap between procurement and naval aviation planning.