A light fleet carrier could operate an air group approaching that of a larger fleet carrier, but aircraft count alone did not define the ship. Lighter protection and less extensive subdivision left it closer to a cruiser in its ability to absorb damage. The comparison with Illustrious and Implacable stresses how densely their hulls were subdivided, in some respects approaching or surpassing the battlecruisers Renown, Repulse, and Hood. Fleet-carrier capability therefore depended on survivability as well as the number of aircraft carried.
Notable Point · 10:57-11:55
Why a similar air group does not make a light carrier a fleet carrier
Air-group size could make a light carrier look comparable on paper, but protection and subdivision still separated it from a true fleet carrier.