"John S. Shinal" wrote...

Cyclic ops - CTOL has long operated with tightly timed
launches and deployments - do you launch and recover CTOL a/c together
and STOVL together, but never mix types ?

For timing purposes, it shouldn't be much different than a mixed A-6 / F-4 or
F-14 / F-18A/B flight deck -- the cycle time is controlled by the shortest
endurance.

In the case of the former, there was enough organic tanker support to keep the
F-4s alive for a 1+45 cycle. In the latter case, the F-18s dominate, and normal
cycle times are reduced to 1+30 or less.

When you come to a F-18 / F-35 STOVL loadout, there could be a LOT of F-18
tankers supporting 1+30 cycles for the F-35, or the cycle times will be reduced
to 1+15 or less. OTOH, maybe cyclic ops will become history, and "flex deck"
will become the norm...

OTOOH, I don't see the F-18 / F-35 STOVL loadout as a "normal" loadout...


How do you change over deck if you are landing a stack of CTOL
a/c and a STOVL has a an emergency landing ?

That's not a problem at all -- the landing area is clear, and you just delta the
CTOL until the emergency gets aboard.