A Royal Navy study of aircraft development shows why carrier design had to anticipate steadily larger aircraft. Henderson commissioned the study after becoming the Royal Navy's first rear admiral responsible for aircraft carriers in 1930. Aircraft size is estimated here to have increased by about 50 percent per decade, so a deck and hull sized for one generation could become restrictive surprisingly quickly. The size difference between the Sea Harrier and F-35, along with the US Navy's ability to continue using the F/A-18E/F while waiting for the F-35, provides a modern comparison. Small carriers could be economical, but their aircraft might outgrow them quickly.
Notable Point · 15:26-16:54
Aircraft growth undermines small carriers
Rapid growth in aircraft size made the apparently economical small carrier a difficult long-term naval aviation platform.