Britain's two Queen Elizabeth-class carriers can concentrate a Falklands-scale modern air group, including F-35Bs and supporting Merlin helicopters. Their size makes sense because a crisis may find only one of the two ships available. Replacing several carriers and amphibious ships with only two hulls nevertheless reduces the number of independent flight decks and docks. An alternative force of two Queen Elizabeth-class carriers and three Trieste-like LHDs would replace seven hulls with five while aiming to guarantee at least two flight decks and one dock. A mixed force of strike carriers and LHDs would preserve more helicopter capacity, amphibious access, and availability for concurrent demands.
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Tailored air groups turn deck numbers into force structure
Carrier and amphibious aviation ships must be judged as a fleet of adaptable decks rather than isolated hulls.