That's an admittedly touchy situation...but even an NFO/RIO would have felt the anxiety of those traps and appreciate the issues faced by pilots...so if other virtues in their CV, like outstanding management skills of large vessels, or strategic decision-making were part of the equation, I'd guess they'd have a real chance of 'earning' the job.
btw, it's my understanding that the Navy regs allow for an NFO/RIO to be Captain of a carrier...probably not many
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