Italian admirals did advocate conventional carriers, but the Regia Aeronautica's political connections made control of aviation difficult to contest. Ship-supported seaplanes were the one aviation field in which the Regia Marina retained practical control over aircraft and personnel. Accepting Europa and Giuseppe Miraglia was a calculated compromise that preserved a useful naval aviation capability even though Italy had the officers and design culture to attempt more. The compromise avoided the larger institutional fight while ensuring that the Navy did not lose maritime reconnaissance altogether.
Chapter · 4:32-9:28
Seaplane carriers as an institutional compromise
The Navy retained practical control of ship-supported seaplanes while avoiding a larger political fight over an independent carrier air arm.