France's carrier and Mistral-class ships illustrate the appeal of allowing the same strike aircraft to operate from more than one type of hull. The Royal Navy's STOVL choice belongs to a period when replacements for Albion, Bulwark, and possibly Ocean were still expected to add amphibious flight decks. In extremis, aircraft could then circulate among two carriers and several smaller aviation ships instead of depending on one category of hull. Britain's economy is highly exposed to disruptions in global services and trade, which strengthens the case for flexible flight decks. That strategic utility matters more than a carrier category's technical status.
Notable Point · 1:06:02-1:08:27
Interoperable flight decks as fleet flexibility
Compatible aircraft across carriers and amphibious ships can give a navy more usable flight decks, even when the smaller ships carry fewer fixed-wing aircraft.