Armoured carriers as a logistics decision

British carrier protection is explained partly by the distance between the fleet's expected Far Eastern operating area and its home infrastructure. Fighting Japan would require ships to be built and trained in Britain, sent around the world, and supported over a long supply route. The United States had its own Pacific coastline, while Britain faced a longer route for replacement ships and supplies. A damaged British carrier therefore needed to survive and accept repairs as close to the fighting as possible. Mediterranean air attack and the difficulty of replacing ships in the Far East both support the argument for the Illustrious class's armoured hangar.