Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 1:19:39-1:20:02

A late-service Victorious would need missile air defense

A 1960s-1970s Victorious counterfactual places missile defenses where the carrier's 4.5-inch guns had been while preserving flight-deck airflow.

Fleet CarriersHMS VictoriousNaval Air DefenceSea DartSea Wolf MissileShip Modernisation
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Question

What air-defense fit could HMS Victorious receive if retained into the 1960s or 1970s?

Short answer

Missiles such as Sea Dart or Sea Wolf could replace the 4.5-inch positions, provided the installation respected flight-deck and airflow constraints.

Notes

The former 4.5-inch gun positions could take a missile fit, with the arrangement adjusted around the flight deck and airflow requirements. Systems in the Sea Dart or Sea Wolf family are plausible candidates. Carrier self-defense modernization is constrained by aviation geometry as well as launcher space.