British carrier aviation shifts toward fighters and guided strike

German emphasis on guided bombs would likely become known abroad, giving Britain time to pursue its own systems and reconsider carrier-aircraft requirements. The Blackburn Skua might emerge as a true interceptor, or effort might move toward a navalized Spitfire-like design or another Blackburn fighter. Swordfish, Albacore, and Barracuda already combine multiple crew members with useful weapon-carrying capacity, making them plausible controllers or carriers for British guided weapons. A dedicated fighter would keep German guidance aircraft from lingering near the fleet. General-purpose strike aircraft would retain their torpedo, reconnaissance, and bombing roles. Because German weapons would concentrate on carriers and capital ships, the carrier's defensive fighter screen and wider reconnaissance reach become even more important to the task group's layered defence.