Reserve modernization sustains yards and carrier depth

The treaty counterfactual extends from battleships to carriers and industrial work. A reserve of five carriers alongside five active ships would let the Royal Navy pursue larger vessels closer to the treaty maximum rather than stretch limited tonnage across six small carriers. Older battlecruisers could receive new machinery, boilers, armament, and revised layouts while remaining useful reserve assets. Modernizing those ships would also feed work through yards and suppliers between new-build programs. The particular designs are speculative, but they show how reserve policy can shape both force structure and industrial continuity.