Earlier British carriers would increase demand for aircraft engines

What would additional British carriers without an armoured box mean for aircraft design and procurement?

They would probably bring more engine orders before guaranteeing high-performance fighters. Ark Royal and American carriers still carried protection despite lacking the British armoured-box arrangement.

Ark Royal lacked an armoured box, but she still had protection, as did American carriers outside the British armoured-carrier category. That distinction matters when comparing the carrier types Britain could order earlier. More flight decks would increase demand for Fleet Air Arm aircraft and the engines needed to equip them. Earlier engine orders are considered a more likely immediate consequence than the arrival of high-performance naval fighters. Additional hulls would therefore expand demand without guaranteeing a particular fighter design or performance level.