Conversions such as Courageous, Glorious, and Furious gave the Royal Navy unusually broad experience with carrier exercises. Those trials supported two different operational roles. Ark Royal represented a larger strike carrier intended to operate back from the fleet. The Illustrious class was conceived to stay nearer the battle fleet and sustain air defense and repeated attacks. This distinction explains why British designs did not simply imitate the large-strike model associated with the United States and Japan.
Chapter · 6:36-12:04
Strike carriers and battle carriers
The Royal Navy's interwar exercises produced distinct strike-carrier and battle-carrier roles built around different positions and tempos of attack.