A ski-jump carrier can launch aircraft without waiting for a catapult to reset. For a matching number of aircraft, the comparison gives the Queen Elizabeth class a narrow launch-tempo advantage over the Nimitz class. The wider judgement is that the British ships suit the Royal Navy's funding and requirements, with this launch advantage only one part of the comparison. STOBAR carriers combine short takeoff with arrested recovery, which permits heavier recoveries but also requires stronger aircraft structures. Those aircraft cannot take off with the same strike load they could carry from a shore base. These compromises can suit carriers intended chiefly for regional defence and sea control.
Notable Point · 35:25-37:28
Ski-jump launch tempo and aircraft tradeoffs
Short takeoffs avoid catapult-reset delays, while arrested recovery and aircraft weight impose compromises on a STOBAR carrier's strike load.