Military Innovation And Carrier Aviation An Analysis

The first part of this article, which appeared in the last issue of JFQ, charted the historical development of British and American carrier aviation, with particular emphasis on the complex interplay of technological, operational, and organizational factors. The second part treats key questions on how this revolution succeeded in the U.S. Navy and was rather less successful in the Royal Navy and what that implies for military innovation. Among questions considered are: (1) How quickly did those who grasped the vision move from a vague to a clearly defined vision? (2) How quickly did change take place? (3) Which mattered more to making progress, individuals or groups? (4) What were the barriers to change and how were they overcome? (5) Did change depend on having a particular enemy? (6) How important was competition? (7) How important was a consciousness of the new concept's potential?