Skuas could add dive bombing to a larger Taranto strike

Could the Royal Navy have added dive bombing to the Taranto attack?

Yes, especially if Ark Royal brought Skuas, though target access and priority would still govern their use.

Ark Royal could add Skuas to a larger Taranto force and give the attack a dedicated dive-bombing component. Swordfish could also dive-bomb, but Skuas were the preferred aircraft for that role. Additional aircraft would not erase the harbor geometry that protected Giulio Cesare. Planners would still direct scarce attacks toward ships that were easier to reach or more valuable.