Treaty arithmetic becomes a deployment problem for a global navy. Two 33,000-ton conversions would leave only 69,000 tons, enough for three more 23,000-ton carriers and a fleet of only five. Building around 22,500 tons could produce six ships, with further reductions offering still more hulls. Britain had to contemplate the Far East, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean, North Atlantic, and South Atlantic at the same time. Because refit, maintenance, and work-up periods remove ships from operations, the number in commission must substantially exceed the number on station.
Chapter · 10:50-12:18
Global commitments reward six smaller carriers over a few giants
The Royal Navy's need to cover several oceans makes carrier count, refit capacity, and training cycles as important as individual ship power.