Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 1:24:21-1:24:49

How larger treaty carriers could lead toward the Malta class

A 27,500-ton treaty carrier would approach Audacious scale, leaving a Malta-class equivalent as a plausible wartime successor once limits ended.

Aircraft CarriersAudacious Class Aircraft CarriersMalta Class Aircraft CarriersRoyal NavyWarship Design
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Question

Would larger treaty carriers create enough development to produce a Malta-class successor?

Short answer

Probably; an Audacious-scale treaty generation could be followed by Malta-class or equivalent wartime carriers once displacement limits ended.

Notes

A standard allowance of roughly 27,500 tons would already bring a British treaty carrier close to Audacious-class scale. Regular construction at that size would give designers and yards experience with substantially larger fleet carriers before wartime. Once treaty limits disappeared, the next generation could plausibly develop into the Malta class or a comparable design. This is a broad design path rather than a claim that the historical Malta plans would appear unchanged.