A 60-to-80-aircraft group is presented as a practical balance of fighter, strike, anti-submarine, and airborne early-warning requirements. Nominal air-group size falls as aircraft grow physically larger and their stores, maintenance, and specialist support become more complex. Operating several aircraft types also expands storage needs because commonality is usually limited; the Huey and Cobra are offered as a rare, brief exception. The F-35B and Merlin illustrate how successor aircraft can require more hangar room than the Harrier, Sea Harrier, or Sea King they replace. Carrier designers must make choices decades early, including lift geometry and weight distribution, because a ship intended for a forty-year life cannot assume its initial aircraft will remain in service.
Chapter · 40:45-50:59
Designing carriers for larger future aircraft
Air groups shrink for more reasons than budget cuts: aircraft, stores, and handling arrangements grow more demanding over a carrier's long service life.