The carrier's ability to operate after the attack did not remove the strategic cost of the damage. After temporary work at Alexandria, further repairs at Cape Town, and a transatlantic journey to American yards, Formidable required about six months away from the theatre. The route identifies Cape Town, alongside Alexandria and Mumbai, as an important repair and support hub even when the largest reconstruction took place in the United States. The closing reflection contrasts a ship built in roughly three years with a naval tradition built over three centuries. Cunningham's decision turned on whether an understrength carrier's likely effect justified risking scarce crews, skills, and institutional confidence that a shipyard could not quickly replace.
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Withdrawal, repair, and the cost of remaining in action
Formidable reached Alexandria, flew off her remaining serviceable aircraft, and began a repair journey through Cape Town to the United States that kept her out of action for six months.