Would CVA-01 need a specialized Phantom?

If CVA-01 had been built, would Britain still need a specialized Phantom variant?

Probably not; CVA-01 would likely have been designed to operate the standard Phantom.

Britain's existing small carriers required changes to fit the Phantom into limited deck and hangar dimensions. CVA-01 was intended as a much larger ship with an aviation system designed around contemporary high-performance aircraft. It could probably have operated the standard Phantom rather than demand the specialized British carrier variant. Starting with the aircraft requirement would remove many of the compromises imposed by adapting the fighter to older decks.