A Pacific-tested British fleet would use carrier strikes and available bombers to force the Italian navy either to remain under attack in port or come out against a larger enemy. Months of fighting Japan would expose faults in high-angle fire control and give crews practical experience with radar, anti-aircraft defence, and carrier operations. An Italian crash-building programme could not match the sudden arrival of Britain's main battle fleet. The surviving British force could then join French and British heavy units in the Mediterranean before moving into the Atlantic. This redeployment combines numerical strength with recent combat experience.
Notable Point · 19:11-20:16
An experienced Royal Navy enters the Mediterranean
A Royal Navy hardened in the Pacific could arrive in the eastern Mediterranean with carrier-strike experience, improved anti-aircraft arrangements, and a decisive numerical advantage.