How might Royal Navy carrier forces have evolved if CVA-01 had been built?
Short answerA plausible fleet would combine two or three CVA-01 strike carriers with Invincible-class anti-submarine carriers, using different air groups for complementary missions.
NotesThe Royal Navy might have received two or three CVA-01 fleet carriers while still building the three Invincible-class ships. Invincibles could have concentrated on Sea King anti-submarine air groups and escort work. The larger carriers would have carried strike aircraft, anti-submarine elements, and an airborne-early-warning successor such as the E-2 Hawkeye. The counterfactual illustrates how carrier classes can complement one another when their air groups are assigned distinct operational roles.