Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 2:05:45-2:06:55

Retaining carriers requires a coherent aircraft transition

Keeping older carriers into a later era would still require funding submarines, escorts, aircraft, and a planned transition rather than merely preserving the hulls.

Aircraft CarriersNaval AviationNuclear SubmarinesSea Harrier
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Question

Could the Royal Navy have kept Eagle and Victorious while still building nuclear attack submarines?

Short answer

Yes, but only with sustained funding for their air groups and escorts as well as submarines; the fleet needs a planned transition, not simply preserved carriers.

Notes

Britain could retain Eagle and Victorious while pursuing nuclear attack submarines if it accepted the additional cost and protected the rest of the fleet programme. The carriers would require suitable escorts, which in this alternative might mean building more Type 82 destroyers instead of relying on the later Type 42 approach. Their air groups would also need a continuous path from Sea Harrier to F-35. A gap between aircraft generations would dissolve people, skills, and operational practice.