Royal Navy aircraft procurement favored sustained operations

Would a much stronger Fleet Air Arm force Germany and Japan to change their aircraft choices?

Japan might respond, but Germany's doctrinal tunnel vision would persist; Britain would still prioritize rugged aircraft for sustained operations.

British carrier geography and operating tempo shaped aircraft requirements. The Fleet Air Arm expected repeated operations and therefore valued sturdy airframes that could absorb damage, be repaired aboard ship, and return to service. That preference helps explain British enthusiasm for the Wildcat, Hellcat, and Corsair rather than extremely light aircraft optimized for a single engagement. Japan might respond to a stronger British air arm, but Germany's failure to study even its Japanese ally illustrates how institutional tunnel vision can defeat technical learning.