Could Britain trade Hermes and smaller carriers for a third Audacious, CVA-01, and an LHD replacing Fearless?
Short answerNot as a simple exchange; the programs arose in different eras, though a larger flexible-deck Invincible was a plausible compromise.
NotesA third Audacious-class carrier would have helped the Royal Navy, but Victorious's costly reconstruction and later policy choices shaped a different path. CVA-01 addressed fleet strike, while replacing the Fearless class belongs to a later period when helicopter-assault doctrine and LHD design were still developing. A ship cannot simultaneously optimize high-speed fixed-wing flight operations and the low-speed flooded-dock posture needed for landing craft. A more plausible alternative is a larger Invincible with a flexible lower deck and additional wartime aviation space, provided the political case for even that ship could be won.