The Evolution of the British Carrier Force, 1945-1979

Abstract

While Britain's Royal Navy is the subject of an old, massive and ever-growing body of historiography, comparatively little literature examines its post-1945 development, whether the British navy is considered as a whole, or even particular, critical elements, like that navy's force of capital ships. This paper endeavors to help fill the gap with a concise overview of the development of Britain's carrier force in the 1945-1979 period.