The Royal Navy expected carriers to survive operations far from home industry and beyond the capacity of bases such as Singapore to perform major reconstruction. Armor reduced the chance that damage would force a long withdrawal. Continuous fighter cover was meant to intercept or disrupt attacks before they reached the fleet. This independently developed approach resembled the sustained defensive air operations later associated with the American 'Big Blue Blanket.'
Chapter · 36:09-41:37
Armor as an answer to distant-war logistics
British carrier protection and standing fighter cover were designed for a fleet that could not count on nearby heavy repair facilities.