Armored Ark Royals and multi-carrier operations

The preferred late-interwar design resembles an Implacable-sized armoured Ark Royal, with enough aircraft for both fleet and strike roles and protection suited to distant theatres. The Far East requirement matters as much as the Mediterranean because a badly damaged carrier might have to return to Britain, while the RAF's reinforcement plan expected carriers to ferry land-based aircraft eastward. The treaty debate separates the maximum size of one carrier from Britain's total carrier tonnage. Experience operating Admiral conversions with roughly 100 aircraft might make larger individual carriers acceptable, because one ship could provide the air strength that historically required two smaller carriers. The Rear Admiral Aircraft Carriers appointment already provided command for multi-carrier operations. Taranto was intended as a two-carrier attack, but damage kept Eagle out and left Illustrious to conduct it alone. Larger, more survivable ships could make those established ambitions more attainable by reducing the number of carriers lost or sidelined.