Unlike a gun-armed warship, a carrier can change much of its fighting power by changing its aircraft mix. That flexibility is not automatic, because new types may require altered storage positions, fittings, and support arrangements. Designers who leave space and adaptable systems can accept later air groups without rebuilding the whole hull. The result is a platform whose usefulness can evolve across its service life as missions and aircraft change.
Notable Point · 1:15:14-1:16:37
A carrier's air group is its most adaptable armament
Carrier capability can change with the aircraft mix more readily than a conventional warship's fixed weapons, provided the ship was designed for later storage and support needs.