Why carrier design protects aircraft from the sea

What does the recent loss of a Super Hornet overboard show about carrier design?

Heavy seas have always threatened exposed aircraft, helping explain British preferences for internal hangars and centerline deck lifts.

The sea remains a direct hazard to aircraft on a carrier's exposed deck. British preference for internal hangars and centerline lifts was shaped partly by the desire to keep aircraft away from deck edges and weather. Deck handling arrangements therefore balance rapid access to the flight deck against exposure to wind and heavy seas. The modern mishap reflects a longstanding naval-architecture problem rather than an entirely new risk.