HMS Argus became an experimental drone carrier

Argus received reconditioned destroyer boilers powerful enough to require turbine changes, a flight deck widened by about ten feet, and removal of her four-inch guns as she shifted to auxiliary status. The scale of that work suggests a more serious experimental role than carrying an occasional target aircraft. Her drones could simulate enemy air attacks during the Royal Navy's major Mediterranean exercises, building defensive practice and experience with offensive remote-control concepts. The annual concentration of the Home and Mediterranean Fleets also demonstrated operational strength relative to Italy while testing carrier cooperation. This experimental use fits Admiral Henderson's effort to extract more aviation value from auxiliaries despite political pressure to observe treaty-era limits.