Small carriers would be built more frequently than fleet carriers, providing more opportunities to test operating ideas. The fewer large ships would remain prestige assets while cruiser carriers became ordinary experimental platforms. In this scenario, Britain might avoid separating its large carriers into heavily armoured ships operating close to the fleet and strike carriers operating farther away. The close-fleet role includes the Mediterranean and South China Sea, while the distant strike role emphasizes large attacks on fleets in harbour. American carriers could likewise gain armour and torpedo protection while retaining large air groups if the schemes released enough usable tonnage.
Chapter · 48:22-49:47
Serial small carriers accelerate doctrine and design
Repeated cruiser-carrier construction would provide experimental flight decks and reduce the need to choose between carrier armour and air-group size.