Speed and turboelectric propulsion

Lexington and Saratoga retained a five-to-seven-inch belt, deck protection ranging from 0.75 to two inches, sixteen water-tube boilers, and about 180,000 shaft horsepower. Four turbo-electric transmission sets handled roughly 130,000 kilowatts of generated power. A frequently quoted top speed of 34.5 knots deserves caution because maximum-speed figures vary with conditions and measurement. The drive limited shaft revolutions to some extent and did not deliver the same efficiency in every circumstance, yet it still supported exceptional speed. A purpose-built carrier might have gained another knot or so at the cost of protection, a trade the converted hulls did not need. The twelve single five-inch guns were more defensible than the eight-inch battery, although better-positioned dual-purpose mounts might have served aviation operations more effectively.