How practical would it be to convert commercial ships into escort carriers for F-35Bs?
Short answerIt is possible with enough money, and container ships offer open volume that makes hangar and maintenance conversion easier than in tankers.
NotesA commercial conversion is possible if enough money is available, with container ships preferred over tankers. Their large open cargo volumes offer a more adaptable starting point for aviation spaces. The proposal rebuilds the superstructure and creates stacked maintenance, hangar, and flight-deck levels instead of simply placing a deck over the existing ship. Tankers were useful wartime conversions because they were available, whereas modern container ships provide a better internal geometry for F-35B support.