Fleet exercises had already demonstrated the importance of air power, and the Royal Navy fitted anti-aircraft weapons whenever systems were available. The limiting factor was often production capacity rather than a failure to recognize the requirement. Equipping a few ships fully would have left many others without protection, so the navy spread scarce weapons to give more vessels at least some defense. Peacetime Treasury limits made rapid factory expansion difficult even as war approached.
Notable Point · 1:16:36-1:19:15
Why air-defense awareness did not guarantee enough guns
The Royal Navy recognized the air threat but could not equip every ship to the desired standard because weapon production lagged behind demand.