The Royal Navy could answer German carrier aviation with an additional Tribal-class flotilla using four twin high-angle 4-inch mounts. Adding a fifth mount is not a simple substitution because it requires magazine space, ammunition hoists, and extra crew, all of which slow construction. Pom-poms also remain essential rather than giving way to another heavy mount. British doctrine expects fighters to break up massed raids, heavy anti-aircraft guns to split formations further, and 40 mm weapons to engage the final attackers. Replacing the close-range system with another 4-inch mount would remove a layer that performs a different job.
Notable Point · 42:14-44:42
Layered defence shapes a Tribal anti-aircraft variant
A German carrier could prompt a high-angle Tribal-class flotilla, but magazines, crews, and layered-defence roles limit how radically the design can change.