Originally Posted by
BDGERJMN
Grumble, the Navy does that to themselves each time a boat swaps in/out of the AOR and the CSG has a hard on for set cycle times. Incorporating a flex deck CONOPS into cyclic OPS would allow the very thing you talk about. Rhinos would be on par with Strike Eagles in that regard.
Agreed. Hard to convince the boat (handler) to buy in though. Self imposed limitations.
As far as STOVL, I would submit that it's needed for the MEU capabilitiy and that's been proven time and again. Afghanistan is a different animal in that being so far inland everyone is looking at the capability as something we could cut. What will the next conflict need though, and can we afford it in the form of the F-35B?