Q&A · 2:23:48-2:24:40

Postwar Britain could afford several large carrier conversions

Britain's post-First World War debt created political restraint, not an absolute inability to fund three large conversions alongside Furious.

Aircraft Carriers Interwar Period Naval Finance Royal Navy

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Question

Could Britain afford three large carrier conversions in addition to Furious after the First World War?

Short answer

Yes; Britain was indebted and cautious, but not financially incapable of such a program.

Notes

Postwar Britain was determined to repay debt and fund domestic programs, yet it was not literally bankrupt. The country could have afforded three Admiral- or G3-derived carriers if it chose. That decision would have competed with other priorities.