Originally Posted by
pr00ne
Tech Guy,
Still a huge improvement on HMS Ark Royal who had a defensive armament consisting entirely of saluting cannon, yet up until her retirement in 1978 was still trotted out as "the RN's most powerful warship ever!"
It says quite a lot when we have to compare it to a vessel ordered during WWII. Originally fitted with AA guns (around 50) befitting of the times. In later life the guns had gone but she was fitted for (but I don't think with) Seacat missiles.
The RN's optimism regarding air threats does indeed go a long way back. One presumes that the RN thinks that US / China / Russia / France have misjudged matters when providing a layered defence on their carriers including extensive EW and missiles... and unlike the RN they don't plan on operating in the littoral as a helicopter carrier!