Why France and Italy did not exploit their carrier tonnage

What carrier plans did Italy have, and why did France and Italy make so little use of their treaty allowance?

They had proposals but weak operational pressure: Mediterranean land bases covered much of their expected theater, and Italy's naval aviation expertise had shifted into the air force.

Italy secured parity with France in treaty carrier tonnage but did not turn its plans into a sustained program. Both powers expected many operations within reach of land-based aviation, reducing the pressure for mobile airfields. Italy also faced an institutional problem because aviation expertise had concentrated in the independent air force rather than the navy. Treaty permission therefore mattered less than theater geography, operational requirements, and control of aviation knowledge.