Fleet carriers, strike carriers, and treaty tonnage

The intended force mixed roughly three protected fleet carriers with a strike carrier carrying a larger air group. Global commitments in the Mediterranean, Atlantic, Indian Ocean, and Far East pushed the Royal Navy toward survivable ships even when treaty tonnage limited aircraft capacity. A total allowance of about 135,000 tons made five 27,000-ton carriers inadequate for those worldwide commitments, while smaller hulls forced a choice between air-group size and armour. Courageous, Glorious, and, with qualifications, Furious supplied the older strike-carrier lineage before Ark Royal, while the later Implacable design could combine more of both roles on a larger post-treaty hull. The same design-study family also pointed toward Unicorn and the light fleet carriers. Armoured flight decks and smaller air groups answered the demands of distant theatres while strike carriers preserved offensive weight.