Why one Anglo-American warship standard is difficult

What if Britain and the United States standardized wartime ship designs in 1942?

Some cruiser commonality might be possible, but different theater needs would make capital-ship and carrier standardization contentious.

An American heavy-cruiser design and a British light-cruiser design are suggested as possible starting points for standardization. Agreement on battleships and carriers would be much harder, and no firm result is offered. Britain wanted carriers for both the Mediterranean and the Far East, making an Essex-based solution unattractive for all its commitments. Choosing between Essex and Audacious, or Iowa and Vanguard, would involve political decisions as well as operational requirements.