The suggestion of earlier carrier-design work rests on internal Royal Navy references to Cammell Laird as a yard with particular strike-carrier expertise. Those descriptions occur during Ark Royal's design, although the yard had not previously built a carrier. An Admiral-class hull at the yard is identified as the plausible earlier conversion candidate. The proposed work remains an inference from the documents' language.
Notable Point · 47:21-48:01
Cammell Laird carrier expertise suggests earlier design work
References to Cammell Laird as a strike-carrier expert suggest design work before Ark Royal, with an Admiral-class hull as the proposed connection.