The Scimitar could technically operate from British carriers, but it took up too much deck and hangar space for safe, sustained use. Nominal compatibility did not make the pairing practical. The comparison with an F-35 on an Invincible-class carrier makes the distinction clear: an aircraft can fit aboard a ship and still overwhelm the available working space. Larger American carriers, more thoroughly adapted Audacious-class ships or HMS Victorious, and an angled-deck Malta-class carrier are presented as counterfactual settings. In those settings, the Scimitar might have had a safer and more successful career.
Notable Point · 2:58-5:12
Why larger carriers might have transformed the Scimitar's record
A comparison with larger American and modernized British carriers shows how deck dimensions can determine whether a naval aircraft is merely operable or practically useful.