The carrier rules formed a separate treaty structure tied to the capital-ship settlement. Ordinary carriers were limited to 27,000 tons and 8-inch guns, with overall allowances broadly following the fleet ratio while giving France and Italy enough tonnage for useful ships. Britain, the United States, and Japan could each complete two conversions officially declared at up to 33,000 tons. Lexington and Saratoga used that route, but the Royal Navy's Courageous, Glorious, and Furious remained below even the ordinary 27,000-ton ceiling. This baseline explains why changing the battlecruiser category also opens wider questions about carrier size, conversion margins, and force structure.
Notable Point · 22:14-23:26
Carrier limits, ratios, and the conversion exception
The historical treaty capped ordinary carriers at 27,000 tons and 8-inch guns while allowing Britain, America, and Japan two larger capital-ship conversions apiece.