The size of a French carrier could be set by which yard the government is willing to employ, not simply by the navy's ideal specification. If wartime service turns an awkward ship into a symbol of Free French endurance, that prestige can justify upgrades that a retrospective technical analysis would reject. Capital-ship decisions are political as well as engineering choices.
Notable Point · 1:37:30-1:39:22
Why capital ships survive technical obsolescence
A French carrier discussion shows how yard politics and national prestige can outweigh a purely technical verdict.