Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 1:08:05-1:11:33

Six Lexingtons require funding and provoke British construction

The United States could support six Lexington-class carriers only with sustained funding, while Britain would demand equivalent capacity and new construction.

Aircraft CarriersLexington Class BattlecruisersRoyal NavyShipbuilding IndustryUS NavyWashington Naval Treaty
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Question

Could the United States support six Lexington-class carriers, and how would Britain respond?

Short answer

Funding makes six possible, but treaty parity would likely trigger a major British carrier-building program.

Notes

Six Lexington-class carriers were supportable if Congress provided the operating money, making funding rather than an absolute technical limit the first constraint. Treaty diplomacy would then matter because Britain would seek equivalent conversion rights or carrier capacity. Admiral-class hulls offered one response, while purpose-built carriers could use the available tonnage more efficiently. Building those ships alongside Nelson and Rodney would sustain several yards and preserve major-warship skills through the 1920s, turning a carrier counterfactual into an industrial-policy question.