Swordfish was specialised, not simply obsolete

The Swordfish first flew in 1934 and entered service in 1936, so it was a contemporary aircraft expected to be replaced around 1940 or 1941 rather than an ancient survivor from another era. The Admiralty ordered the Albacore as an interim measure while waiting for the Barracuda during the transfer of aviation control. Roughly 2,400 Swordfish were produced, and the combat losses cited here were modest relative to the aircraft's extensive wartime use. Its longevity reflected a useful and adaptable airframe, not a prewar plan to preserve a biplane indefinitely as the main fleet strike aircraft.