The Malta class could have operated an F-14-era air group

What was the largest naval aircraft the unbuilt Malta-class carriers could have handled?

The ships could have been modified to operate aircraft as large as the F-14 Tomcat and a full contemporary strike wing, broadly matching the Midway class in potential.

The answer treats carrier capacity as something that can evolve through modification rather than remain fixed at launch. Malta's size would have given designers room to adapt decks, lifts, and support arrangements for much heavier post-war aircraft. The F-14 provides the upper-end illustration, with a potential air group comparable to the Midway class. The watch point helps explain why the cancelled British carriers remain important in discussions of post-war fleet aviation.