Italy could challenge only a carefully limited British squadron

Did the Italian Navy plan to defeat the Royal Navy in a decisive central Mediterranean battle?

Not in a robust sense; Italian calculations depended on meeting a limited squadron of older British ships without Nelson, Rodney, or modernized Queen Elizabeths.

Italian planners could imagine holding off a selected British squadron, but not the full range of forces Britain could deploy. A plan that works only if the enemy chooses specific weaker ships is a dream rather than a dependable strategy.