The older Avalon can turn its hangar deck into a launching deck and send its entire air group out together. Clearing the deck presents a practical problem, but the arrangement offers a different capability from the newer carriers' faster-cycling launch tubes. The retrofit originally helped the old ship compete with its successors. A proposed improvement is to combine both methods in later carriers, retaining rapid individual launches and the option of releasing the whole air group. Later carriers miss an opportunity to preserve a successful adaptation.
Notable Point · 30:52-32:42
Why Avalon's full-deck launch should influence later carriers
Avalon's ability to launch its entire air group at once raises a procurement question about retaining successful retrofits in new designs.