Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 8:06:16-8:06:43

Why the Independence-class light carriers came before Saipan

The Independence conversion prioritized immediate hull availability, while Saipan represented a more considered purpose-built follow-on.

Independence Class Light Aircraft CarriersLight Aircraft CarriersSaipan Class Aircraft CarriersShipbuildingUS Navy
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Question

Why did the US build Independence-class conversions instead of designing Saipan-class light carriers from the outset?

Short answer

Independence used hulls already in production for speed, whereas Saipan was the better-developed answer available when more time could be spent on the design.

Notes

The Independence conversions used cruiser hulls already under construction to put carriers into service quickly. The Saipan design allowed more thought and construction time around a larger hull. Their different design choices therefore follow from different schedules and the availability of hulls at the moment they were needed.