How Fearless and Intrepid should have been designed

How would you have built Fearless and Intrepid if you controlled the 1960s program?

With hangars, more command space, 4.5-inch and 40 mm guns, and at least three ships in the class.

Experience with Albion and Bulwark already showed that amphibious ships would need helicopters, so Fearless and Intrepid should have received proper hangars from the outset. Command space would remain valuable even for nominal transports because amphibious operations demand coordination and redundancy. Twin 4.5-inch mounts could provide naval gunfire support, while 40 mm weapons would strengthen close-range and inshore defense. Building at least three hulls would also improve availability by allowing one ship to refit without removing the entire capability. The redesign treats aviation, command, fire support, and fleet numbers as one amphibious system.