Light fleet carriers were economical fleet units, lightly protected and practical to produce in numbers. They were intended to fill the wartime aviation gap until larger fleet carriers arrived, rather than serve as permanent capital assets. Ease of repair mattered because the ships were expected to absorb the risks that came with light armour and an expendable wartime role. Their restricted aircraft size was a real limitation, but the uncomplicated structure proved adaptable over many decades.
Chapter · 10:20-13:25
Light fleet carriers: rapid construction and long adaptability
The wartime light fleet carrier was meant to be fast to build and repair, providing fleet aviation until larger carriers could arrive.