Designing a Hermes sister under 10,000 tons

A sub-10,000-ton Hermes derivative would require refinement rather than a wholly new carrier. A dual-purpose 4.7-inch adaptation of the Nelson-class gun could replace the 5.5-inch battery and perhaps the separate 4-inch anti-aircraft guns. Exchanging six wartime Yarrow boilers for four Admiralty three-drum boilers would save weight while preserving roughly 40,000 shaft horsepower. A County-class approach to armour would protect vital spaces instead of carrying a continuous belt, and stern redesign could remove further inefficiency. The resulting cruiser-carrier could stay below the treaty threshold without abandoning its power or all protection.