I dont think we should read too much into this. In an era where everyone is borassic lint it could be a farsighted move towards success. UKIP will always issue these scare stories ( sorry John but good to have you with us though!l
) and hope we all swallow the notion that we are menaced by the infidel and that our sovereignty is being taken over by nasty foreigners...and as a consequence and as a panic measure will go out and vote UKIP.
I think the Prime Minister realises we have two massive aircraft carriers coming into service and that we are in the ludicrous position of not having any aircraft for them. The French have aircraft that fit and work on these carriers, so here we are today. Joint operations and a new joint rapid response unit is not the end of civilization as we know it for the UK, but merely pragmatism in operation in hard times.
In an era where the Russians are beginning to supply helicopters to NATO in Afghanistan, because NATO dont have enough helicopters, one may feel that the world has gone mad. But no...its just that we all recognise the existence of the new enemy and are adjusting acordingly.