Carrier groups built around the Malta class

Three active Malta-class carriers would give the Royal Navy a stable set of carrier groups rather than an intermittent single-carrier capability. A fourth hull could cover refit, reserve, or another temporary duty while the three groups remained available. Destroyer and frigate numbers would then be planned around escorting those carriers and an amphibious force. The larger, more upgradeable ships could remain useful into the late twentieth century while sustaining a substantial British presence abroad. The example shows how one capital-ship decision propagates through escort procurement, readiness cycles, and national strategy.