Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 2:08:56-2:09:31

Why scout carriers stay within 12,000 tons

The treaty caps each scout carrier at 12,000 tons, so improvement comes through successive batches and internal design tradeoffs instead of unconstrained growth.

Naval ArchitectureScout CarriersShipbuildingWashington Naval Treaty
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Question

Would later scout-carrier classes naturally grow beyond the first 12,000-ton ships?

Short answer

No. The treaty ceiling holds them to 12,000 tons, so later ships improve through batch-by-batch design changes within that limit.

Notes

The proposed scout-carrier category limits both displacement and numbers. Follow-on ships therefore remain within 12,000 tons. They would be built individually within a continuing programme, with differences between batches and vessels comparable to the County and Town classes. Successive designs can improve while remaining subject to the same treaty ceiling.