Q&A · 11:32-12:36

Which alternative carrier force best changes the Falklands War?

A wargaming counterfactual favors refitted Malta-class carriers because a common, worked-up force could matter more than mixing several different carrier types.

Question

In a Falklands War wargame, would a mixed four-carrier force, new CVA-01s, or refitted Malta-class carriers change the outcome most?

Short answer

Refitted Malta-class carriers, because their existence implies a more uniform and thoroughly worked-up carrier force rather than a collection of dissimilar ships.

Notes

A viewer asks which hypothetical carrier reinforcement would most change a Falklands War scenario. Refitted Malta-class ships are preferred over a mixed group or entirely new CVA-01s. The reasoning is institutional as much as technical: if the Maltas had been built and modernized, the Royal Navy might have operated a uniform class with established crews, maintenance practice, and doctrine. This counterfactual treats fleets as systems rather than comparing hull specifications alone.