Royal Navy officers explored the loss of France, Gibraltar, and Singapore even when wider circulation of the results was discouraged. Procurement officials shared enough of those exercises with Commonwealth counterparts to explain the ships and support systems they were ordering. HMS Unicorn provides a memorable example of bureaucratic description: she was presented as a forward aviation support ship rather than an aircraft carrier. Her later operation of aircraft and use of guns underline the gap between the label and the capability preserved.
Notable Point · 1:24:38-1:26:40
HMS Unicorn was presented as support rather than a carrier
Restricted contingency planning and careful classification let naval procurement preserve capabilities that ministers did not want openly discussed.