Count the aviation costs of defensive weapons

Carrier weapons cannot simply be added wherever space appears. Missile launchers must avoid obstructing aircraft flow, and their exhaust or debris must not create foreign-object hazards for engines. Guns require ammunition supply, maintenance, training, crew, and structural support. Every defensive system therefore takes resources from aviation or another ship function. The Invincible-class design debate illustrates the human side of the decision: a senior admiral reportedly refused to serve in a ship he considered insufficiently armed, helping drive the addition of Sea Dart and other systems. Risk tolerance is ultimately set by governments, but the people expected to take the ship into combat live with the consequences.