Would the Fleet Air Arm have fared better without the RAF?

If the RAF had never existed, would the Royal Navy have received better aircraft and avoided the losses of Courageous and Glorious?

Direct naval control would probably have improved carrier-aircraft procurement, but the two carrier losses arose from operational and political decisions rather than aircraft ownership alone.

Removing the RAF would not remove the need for the Army and Navy to obtain aircraft through some procurement structure. The Army could still order aircraft for land warfare, while the Royal Navy would have more direct influence over carrier requirements. That influence would probably improve Fleet Air Arm aircraft because compromises imposed by a separate air service would be reduced. The losses of Courageous and Glorious are treated mainly as operational and political failures, however, not automatic consequences of which service owned aviation.