The treaty critique briefly contrasts restricted carrier construction with the unlimited escort category. Without tonnage pressure, both navies might build much larger carriers, though their designs would still differ. British routes through the South China Sea, East China Sea, and Mediterranean placed carriers nearer land-based aircraft, encouraging more armor and fewer aircraft. American central-Pacific and central-Atlantic operations offered more sea room, supporting larger air groups and a different balance of protection.
Notable Point · 17:50-19:16
Carrier design follows operating geography
British and American carriers diverged because expected operating areas produced different balances between armor, aircraft capacity, and survivability.