French planning allocated two carriers even though construction of the second ship was repeatedly delayed. The intended cycle placed one carrier in the Far East and kept another available for Atlantic duties, maintenance, or movements through the Caribbean. The slow German Graf Zeppelin programme and Italy's lack of a carrier encouraged some French planners to treat another ship as unnecessary. That comparison overlooked France's different combination of imperial commitments and alliance obligations.
Chapter · 35:39-38:58
Why France planned carriers for the Far East and Atlantic
Two carriers would have allowed France to maintain overseas presence in the Far East and Atlantic while covering refits and emergencies.