Mission breadth defines the difference more clearly than physical size. A fleet carrier can perform strike, air defense, anti-submarine warfare, and reconnaissance together with the support depth to sustain them. A light fleet carrier can match the larger ship in a selected mission, but carries fewer aircraft, workshops, stores, and secondary capabilities. It is quicker and cheaper to build and crew, yet its tailored air group limits endurance and simultaneous performance across the whole mission set.
Chapter · 44:37-49:31
Fleet carriers versus light fleet carriers
A fleet carrier can sustain the full range of strike, air-defense, and anti-submarine missions, while a light carrier emphasizes one mission with less depth elsewhere.