Clarke regards references in later carrier discussions as suggestive of work on an Admiral-class strike-carrier scheme, but he has not found a document that establishes it conclusively. The counterfactual then asks what would happen if the three unfinished Admirals had become carriers before the naval treaties. Britain would have three large carriers rather than having to choose between geographical coverage and larger air groups. Their presence could require special treatment comparable with Hood's and change the negotiated limits. One suggested outcome would permit three American conversions and two Japanese conversions. Both the conversion programme and its treaty consequences remain hypothetical.
Notable Point · 2:05:06-2:07:00
Admiral carrier conversions and a different Washington settlement
Three Admiral conversions before the treaties could change Britain's carrier force and treaty bargaining, though the underlying design proposal remains incompletely documented.