kwaigonegin
Colonel
If your world is USN centric then the differentiation is irrelevant because all the carriers come with CAT. However outside of the USN, the distinction is useful in any conversation because there is a clear divide between the two. As for the PLAN which is the nature of this thread, we expect the migration to CAT will eventually happen but until then a lot of the conversation will revolve around this.
Yes, that's why I was specific in my explanation. and for the sake of this forum and others I made that distinction. In the real world though they are all carriers. An admiral is not going to say find me that Chinese STOBAR or catobar...he's going to say find me that Chinese carrier. Similarly potus or the CNO is not going to ask where is the nearest catobar? Lol
Anyway I think that was what my shipmate Popeye was alluding to.