Joffre combined an American-influenced hull with a more British style of sustained flying operations. British doctrine could assemble multi-carrier strikes while retaining the ability to cycle smaller groups repeatedly. That flexibility mattered in the Mediterranean and South China Sea, where land air bases created persistent threats, and during anti-submarine or reconnaissance patrols that could not wait for one large deck-load strike. A useful carrier therefore had to change rapidly between launching and recovery. Joffre kept the island flush with the hull while canting the flight deck outward, an unusual attempt to support that operating rhythm. Its projected 40-aircraft group and awkward lift placement still raised practical questions. British armoured carriers offered a different answer to the danger from land-based air attack.
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Joffre and continuous air operations
Joffre's design reflected a need to launch and recover aircraft continuously for Mediterranean, reconnaissance, and anti-submarine work.
Aircraft CapacityAircraft Carrier IslandsAlpha StrikeAnti-Submarine WarfareArmoured Flight DecksCarrier OperationsContinuous Air OperationsFleet CarriersFlight DecksFrench NavyImperial Japanese NavyJoffre Class Aircraft CarriersMediterranean TheatreMulti-Carrier OperationsNaval AviationNaval DoctrineReconnaissance AviationRoyal NavySouth China SeaUS Navy