British carrier design had to account for operations in the Mediterranean and Far East while major repair facilities remained far away in Britain. Severe damage could send a carrier home and remove its aviation from the distant theatre for an extended period. Under treaty tonnage limits, armour therefore involved accepting a smaller air group. The intended benefit was a better chance of continued operation on the second or third day of a battle.
Notable Point · 1:28:32-1:29:23
British carrier armour and the distance to repair yards
British armoured carriers traded some aircraft capacity for a better chance of remaining operational far from the repair facilities available in Britain.