Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 2:00:32-2:00:54

Why retained carriers would also need Gannets

Keeping Eagle or Victorious for 1982 requires more than surviving fighters and strike aircraft; the missing Gannets are a critical part of the air group.

Aircraft CarriersCarrier Air GroupsFairey GannetFalklands War
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Question

Could Eagle or Victorious have used surviving Phantoms and Buccaneers in the Falklands War?

Short answer

Possibly, but the carrier group would also need Gannets, the critical missing part of the proposed air group.

Notes

RAF Phantoms and Buccaneers still existed in 1982 and might have equipped a surviving large carrier. The missing Gannets are the decisive gap in that proposal. Fighters and strike aircraft do not by themselves recreate the complete carrier air group on which the ship's usefulness depends. Preserving a hull matters only when the specialised aircraft and supporting people needed to operate it also survive.