Malta's balance of air power and survivability

The Malta design combined deck-edge and centerline lifts, an armored deck, and openings that could support engine work and ventilation. It joined British wartime experience with features the Royal Navy had repeatedly wanted but had trimmed to remain within treaty tonnage limits. British priorities emphasized surviving damage in the Mediterranean and Asian littorals, while the US Navy used speed, large air groups, and the maneuver room of the Pacific. British carriers operating far from home dockyards needed to remain repairable near the fight because a damaged ship sent back to Britain could remove air power for months. The design accepts somewhat less aircraft capacity in exchange for a better chance of retaining some aviation after damage.