How would sustained investment in several large Royal Navy carriers operating Phantoms affect TSR-2?
Short answerIt could either crowd TSR-2 out or strengthen its case, depending on whether Britain retained a continental-army strategy or shifted to maritime and air power.
NotesThe fate of TSR-2 depends on why Britain sustains a large modernized carrier force with Phantom facilities. If Britain still funds the British Army of the Rhine while adding carrier costs, the aircraft becomes harder to sustain. If the carriers reflect a broader shift toward naval power, air power, nuclear strike, and expeditionary forces, TSR-2 becomes more central rather than less. The watch point shows how individual procurement decisions only make sense inside a larger force strategy.