The Forrestals' combination of a deeper hull, armour, and gun armament made them the first genuinely postwar American carriers in this account. The armoured flight deck also served as the strength deck. Making the highest full-length deck carry the main structural load reduced the reinforcement needed to support decks above a lower strength deck. Only the island and its funnels required substantial structure above that level. This arrangement controlled structural weight while permitting a longer hull.
Notable Point · 2:35-4:22
The armoured flight deck becomes the strength deck
The armoured flight deck carried longitudinal strength at the highest full-length level, reducing the reinforcement needed above it and making the large hull practical.