Catapults and arrested recovery maximize aircraft size and variety but impose complex ship systems and demanding operating patterns. A CATOBAR carrier needs sea room and speed for flight operations, which conflicts with an LHD lingering near an amphibious objective to launch helicopters and landing craft. STOVL aircraft sacrifice some range or payload performance but require less specialized deck machinery. They can also launch in rapid sequence without waiting for a catapult to reset. For Italy, Japan, or Britain, those characteristics permit a common fixed-wing fleet to operate from several carrier and amphibious decks.
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CATOBAR versus STOVL depends on the whole fleet
CATOBAR supports the widest aircraft range, while STOVL lets a medium navy share aircraft across carriers and amphibious decks.