Italy is the larger European naval threat Britain must manage in this assessment. A stronger Regia Marina would require the Royal Navy to keep still more ships in the Mediterranean. Those commitments reduce what can be sent to the Indian Ocean and Eastern Fleet, make reinforcement of Force Z harder, and delay the build-up of the British Pacific Fleet. The counterfactual therefore gives Italy wider strategic leverage even if its stronger navy never directly fights in those distant theatres.
Notable Point · 1:33:25-1:34:00
A stronger Regia Marina pins British ships in the Mediterranean
Greater Italian naval strength would deepen the Mediterranean commitment that limited how quickly Britain could reinforce the Eastern Fleet, Force Z, and later Pacific forces.