Why do France and Russia cope differently with limited carrier numbers?
Short answerFrance retains aviation-capable LHDs alongside its carrier, whereas Russia's lone Kuznetsov has no partner and must absorb every refit problem alone.
NotesFrance cannot be judged only by its one fleet carrier because its Mistral-class ships preserve helicopter and amphibious aviation capacity. By contrast, the Royal Navy's two carriers have no LHD complement, and Russia's lone Kuznetsov must keep working despite design and maintenance weaknesses. The comparison shows why a force's aviation capacity matters more than a simple count of fleet carriers.