An earlier end to the war could also change naval institutions. It could precede the April 1918 decision that transferred the Royal Naval Air Service into the new Royal Air Force. Admirals might concede land-based units while refusing to surrender carrier squadrons that had become central to fleet operations. Admiral-class hulls would also be easier to justify as carriers once the type had delivered visible wartime results. Operational success could lock the new technology into service identity, budgets, and command arrangements.
Notable Point · 1:05:26-1:07:10
Combat-proven carriers protect naval aviation from the RAF merger
If carrier squadrons have already shaped operations, Royal Navy leaders have a much stronger case for retaining them when the Royal Air Force is created.