Naval evolution without a Second World War

Without a major Second World War, what kinds of navies might have evolved into the present?

The carrier would still grow more capable, but battleships would decline more gradually and cruiser categories might merge rather than disappearing through wartime shocks.

Without a major Second World War, the decline of the battleship is expected to proceed more gradually. A carrier's usefulness depends on its air group, so improving aircraft could continue to change the balance without a decisive wartime demonstration. Battleships could remain useful against, or alongside, carrier groups. Small light cruisers might disappear, and the distinction between light and heavy cruisers could erode. The resulting fleets could retain fast capital ships, carriers, cruisers, and destroyers, with smaller sloop or frigate types developing beneath them. These are proposed evolutionary paths within the counterfactual.