Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 2:26:10-2:31:18

A 45,000-ton Invincible class in the Falklands War

A much larger Invincible could carry more Sea Harriers and helicopters, making airborne early warning and the destruction of the Argentine carrier far more likely.

Airborne Early WarningFalklands WarFleet Air ArmInvincible Class Aircraft CarriersSea Harrier
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Question

What if Britain built the Invincible class at roughly 45,000 tons?

Short answer

They would field much larger air groups and earlier airborne warning, greatly strengthening the Falklands task force and threatening Argentina's carrier.

Notes

The panel disagrees over whether the ships would gain catapults and Hawkeyes or remain V/STOL carriers optimized for anti-submarine helicopters. Both paths yield a much larger air group and likely bring helicopter airborne early warning into service before the war. Better surveillance could locate Veinticinco de Mayo, against which a British kill order already existed, and sharply reduce the Argentine fleet's freedom of action.