HMS Prince of Wales is described as a capable carrier, with the recurring problem traced to fleet size rather than the ship's basic design. With only HMS Queen Elizabeth and Prince of Wales available, any defect, refit, or maintenance period can leave the Royal Navy without an operational carrier. Paper calculations that assume ideal readiness cannot remove that structural vulnerability. Force planning must account for maintenance and unexpected failures alongside the number of hulls in commission.
Notable Point · 41:04-42:09
Why a two-carrier fleet repeatedly faces availability gaps
The Queen Elizabeth-class discussion separates the quality of HMS Prince of Wales from the structural readiness problem created by owning only two carriers.