The Queen Elizabeth design was fitted to the chosen Rosyth assembly site and its exit route. Dock gates constrained the beam, while passage beneath the Forth Bridge affected the masts. These restrictions embedded the choice of construction site in the ship's dimensions and added design work and cost. The French comparison attributes Charles de Gaulle's size constraints to political objections to using a particular yard, with subsequent government ownership opening that facility to a larger successor. Earlier British capital ships faced similar compromises: the Admiral class and G3 designs were constrained by the facilities available to build and handle them. Enlarging infrastructure and restricting the ship to existing facilities therefore produce different naval capabilities.
Chapter · 2:05:03-2:08:29
How dockyards and bases shape carrier design
Construction docks, gates, and bridges can determine carrier dimensions before the desired air group has been fully accommodated.