"Now our mine performance has passed. The number of German submarines that have broken through the English Channel has been greatly reduced. At least 80% of German submarines enter the Atlantic Ocean through the North Sea. As long as we deploy enough aircraft in the Shetland Islands, our transportation lines on the Atlantic Ocean will be much more stable. As long as we can deploy 400 to 500 various aircraft there, we have the hope to reduce the attack frequency of German submarines by at least 30%. It is very cost-effective in terms of cost-effectiveness." Sir Salmond said anxiously.

"However, this construction period may take several months, and it may be difficult for us to get the required aircraft in a short time. Ocean patrol requires large aircraft. Now, the French Air Force is no longer able to do so. We support it on the Western Front and the Mediterranean battlefield at the same time. Now the Empire is ready to further reduce the production volume of v1500 because the production cycle of this bomber is too long. Lieutenant General Trenchard even suggested completely stop production in order to produce tactical aircraft. The two-engine or even four-engine aircraft of the entire five wings is too difficult." Churchill thought for a while and said.

Although short and fast in the war, some major projects still need to be done. For example, in the first World War, the British deployed more than 70,000 mines and shipwreck obstacles in the Dover Strait, etc. For example, in the second World War, the Americans carried out the Manhattan project...

Churchill thought quickly in his mind that it seemed that building an airport in the Shetland Islands that can accommodate 400 to 500 twin-engine and 4-engine aircraft was nothing compared to an anti-submarine system with hundreds of destroyers, anti-submarine ships and thousands of auxiliary ships. (In history, the total number of auxiliary ships such as trawlers and sailing ships in the Allies cooperated with anti-submarine warships reached more than 4,000.)

"If it is difficult to deploy these aircraft, then I still have a cheap idea. Now the Navy has two aircraft carriers, the Hundred-Eyed Giant and the Furious Class. If possible, they will be incorporated into the blockade fleet and conducting reconnaissance through carrier-based aircraft will definitely be twice the result with half the effort." Sir Salmond secretly glanced at Jericho and said.

"Well?! This method seems to be good? Is it a use of existing equipment?" Churchill was a little excited and was about to ask General Jericho, the commander of the large fleet next to him.

"No, this is absolutely not possible! The two aircraft carriers, the Furious and the Hundred-Eyed Giant, are comparable to the two main battleships. They can turn the situation around at critical moments. They should be with the big fleet." Jericho said loudly, and the firmness in his words told everyone that he did not intend to compromise on this issue!

"This, even if you take the USS Furious aircraft as an example, the number of attack aircraft equipped by a warship is only 20. Even if they are all equipped with torpedoes, the effect is not obvious when considering the interception of the German carrier-based aircraft." Churchill thought for a while and said.

Although the Furious in this plane did not start to have superstructures like in history, turning a good straight-through flight deck into two-stage styles. However, the British did not have crossers after all, and they paid far less attention to aircraft carriers and studied them as much as Prince Ruprecht. They still had a skeptical attitude towards aircraft carriers, so the number of carrier-based aircraft would not be large. Taking the Furious as an example, after it became an aircraft carrier, the aircraft carrier was equipped with 40 aircraft, including 16 camel fighters, 4 reconnaissance aircraft, and 20 Cuckoo MKB torpedo aircraft.

But even so, the officers and soldiers of the British Royal Navy were still actively considering how to use this new warship to play a role in future naval battles. Moreover, with the efforts of relevant personnel from the large fleet, the British had a rough plan for how to use this aircraft carrier. In this case, Admiral Jericho naturally disagreed with handing over the two aircraft carriers to others.

"If it's just for reconnaissance and dealing with submarines, ordinary seaplanes will be fine. We can provide 3 seaplane carriers and 12 seaplanes for the Royal Navy Air Force in the Shetland Islands." Jericho said.

"We need a real aircraft carrier. The execution efficiency of seaplanes is too poor, and the requirements for taking off and recycling aircraft are too strict." Salmond said. Although seaplanes and motherships can also perform reconnaissance tasks, the rare carrying capacity determines that their search capabilities are too limited. Moreover, the number of available ships in the UK has been greatly reduced. There are fewer and fewer ships that can be used to transform large seaplanes and aircraft carriers. It would be nice to give you a 5,000-ton seaplane carrier. The 5,000-ton ship is performing missions in the North Sea for a long time, which is not optimistic!

"If conditions permit, I think an aircraft carrier should be deployed on the North Sea blockade." Churchill thought for a while and said. After all, he is not a professional naval officer, but from a balanced perspective, he still tends to Salmond's.

"Then you have to wait at least until the Royal Navy Fleet has more than 4 aircraft carriers." Jericho said after thinking about it.

"Are you crazy? You want 4 more?" Salmond said in surprise.

"Of course not. There are two more ships under accelerated construction in our plan. One of them is transformed with the hull of the Cavendish-class light cruiser. This warship can be completed by the end of this year, while the other is modified with a cruise ship. It is completed early next year. After all plans are completed, the newly built aircraft carrier can be allocated to the North Sea blockade line." Jericho said.

"This plan is a bit too grand." Churchill now wants to use his power to force Jericho to bow his head, but unfortunately, Jericho is very determined and even threatened to resign as a threat to force the Admiralty to make concessions. In history, such things have happened many times, such as when the British government asked to establish an escort system, requiring a large number of destroyers, and Jericho believed that this practice would greatly weaken the large fleet and refused, so this guy was driven... At that time, he was the first Navy Minister. But now, he has no successors, so the large fleet cannot bear the price of Jericho's resignation.

"I hope that General Jericho can provide sufficient reasons, otherwise I will forcibly allocate new warships in the name of the First Sea Minister. Your resignation will not be allowed." Churchill, who was unable to choke, said to Jericho angrily at the end of the meeting.

"You will see a perfect plan, and in the next battle, the Royal Navy will completely overwhelm the opponent with new advantages." Jericho said calmly.
Chapter completed!