What would Britain gain by buying the F/A-18 rather than developing a domestic carrier aircraft?
Short answerA shared F/A-18 program would reduce cost and technical risk, improve NATO parts commonality, and could still preserve British industrial work through engines, radar, weapons, or licensed production.
NotesA large allied production run reduces development risk and makes British, French, and American carrier air groups easier to support together. A Britishized version could retain domestic radar, engines, weapons, and manufacturing experience without bearing the full cost of a clean-sheet design. The later comparison with F-35 software access shows the enduring tension between alliance efficiency and sovereign control over upgrades. It also explains why access to software, weapons integration, and modification rights matters as much as where an airframe is assembled.