Why could an Independence-class carrier not simply receive a ski jump?
Short answerThe forward flight-deck framing may have been the obstacle, but the answer remains uncertain without detailed plans.
NotesAn Independence-class carrier may have faced a framing problem where a ski jump would meet the forward flight deck. The explanation is explicitly tentative rather than a firm technical verdict. Detailed plans would be needed to establish whether the existing structure could carry the modification. The discussion therefore leaves the conversion plausible but unresolved.