Another possibility that comes to mind is the UK decides the Colossus and Majestic class carriers are too small and that the three groups of Armoured Fleet Carriers are too limited by the age of their design to effectively operate modern aircraft, even with extensive modernisations. They therefore dispose of them by transfer to allied navies (in particular to barter reductions in Lend Lease debt for materiel, resources and services) and continue with the construction of all eight Hermes, four Audacious and three Malta class carriers. With the cancelation of reconstructions the RN develops an incremental improvement program to complete the new carriers incrementally in batches incorporating new technologies and features, with only minimal improvements being introduced on already commissioned ships.
The end result is by the time of Korea the RN has cascaded all Armoured Fleet Carriers to allies and sold most of the 1942 Type Light Fleet Carriers class to other nations (including disastrously three Majestics to the Soviet Union), while completing the first four Hermes and two Audacious Class as slightly improved Axle deck carriers. The remaining Hermes and Audacious were completed through to the mid 50s with interim angled decks, steam catapults and mirror landing systems. The Maltas were completed to a new design that basically resembled a larger version of the real world reconstructed Victorious incorporating a sponsoned full angled deck and the massive Type 984 Dustbin radar, in addition to the other improvements.
At this point the axle decked Hermes were sold to the allied nations (after modernisation to the interim standard of their sisters) to replace their aging war built carriers, while the RN started to introduce new build light fleet carriers allowing the sale and transfer of the interim Hermes batch. At this point all four Audacious class were converted into Commando Carriers, their double hangers being ideal for this as one was retained for helicopters (and later Harriers) and the other converted to troop accommodation, equipment stowage and training spaces.
The RN then settled on a fleet structure of three large strike carriers (with heavy strike aircraft), four large Commando Carriers and eight new build Light Fleet Carriers (with alternate GP and ASW air groups with a mix of air defence fighters, AEW, fixed wing ASW and light strike aircraft). The new light fleets formed the core of six multi role Escort Groups, that also each included a gun/missile cruiser, an escort cruiser, a DLG, a pair of DDGs and a pair of fast frigates. The idea being that at any time any one of these groups would form a battle group with each of the deployed Strike Carriers, an Amphibious Assault Group with each of the deployed Commando Carriers, while the remaining groups would be available for independent operations, including showing the flag, limited interdiction, minor amphibious operations and of course ASW. This flexibility allowed the Strike Carriers and Commando Carriers to be used sparingly and mostly in local waters or for major exercises, saving money and preserving them for major conflicts, at any time only one or two of each would actually be in operational service with the other(s) in refit or reserve.
The massive increase in the number and size of flight decks in the RN permitted the retention of fixed wing ASW (either as a limited number with the CVA(L) light attack wings, or a larger number with the CVS ASW Groups on the CVLs), while the provision of hangers and flight decks on the DLGs, DDGs and FF's, as well as the provision of Escort Cruisers, saw a massive increase in the number of ASW helicopters in the fleet. This in turn permitted a significant reduction in the number of specialist ASW frigates required. A further flow on from this was the replacement of these expensive ASW hulls with general purpose Sloops to maintain hull numbers as the required levels to meet the RNs significant overseas obligations. It was also possible to retain a small but significant Coastal Force that was equipped with fast attack craft and missile corvettes.
Finally, the new build Light Fleet carriers were also exported to a number of nations wanting to stay in the carrier game. Due to their design in the mid 50s and their evolution through the 60s with a specific secondary role of being a spare deck for the Strike Carriers, they had sufficient sustained speed and aviation facilities to effectively operate moderate numbers of large multi role fighter such as the Phantom and were even able to recover and launch any aircraft operated from USN super carriers. As such they became very effective multirole carriers in their own right in small navies, able to operate a full squadron of large strike fighters, another of large fix wing ASW aircraft (initially Gannet, Alize or Tracker but eventually in the case of the RAN and RCN, Vikings), a flight of AEW (Gannet, Tracer or Hawkeye) and a squadron of ASW and SAR helicopters, in the CVS role. They could also land some of their ASW aircraft and transfer their ASW helicopters to one of the reserve / commando carriers some of these navies retained to permit a second fighter squadron, or even a larger number of light strike aircraft to be embarked as required, to serve as light attack carriers. In fact both Australia (5 CLVs, down from 6 older carriers) and Canada (3 CVLs) chose to operate their Light Fleets in a similar fashion to the RN, placing them in the centre of escort groups with cruisers, destroyers and frigates; while New Zealand (2) and the Netherlands (3) operated theirs in smaller groups, each with a single guided missile frigate and a number of frigates (NZ even buying a couple Tromp Class FFGs specifically for this role. The biggest coup was probably the sale of four CVS configured Light Fleets to Japan, who operated them with Grumman Super Tigers, Trackers, Tracers and Sea Kings, the Super Tigers being configured solely for air defence.
