Crew comfort, automation, and damage-control manpower

Is Queen Elizabeth-class accommodation considered good, and does a smaller crew help?

Yes, but the extra space gained through automation must be balanced against the manpower needed for damage control and other shipboard work.

Queen Elizabeth-class accommodation receives a favorable comparison with American warships in 2021. Automation reduces crew requirements and leaves more space for each person. Larger crews, however, provide more hands for battle-damage repair. A tentative observation is that attempts to reduce Ford-class crews had required some personnel to be restored. One proposed improvement for American carriers is the automated ammunition-handling and logistics system used in the British ships, which reduces the manpower needed to move ammunition. Reducing routine work and retaining enough people for emergencies remain competing design demands.