An argument that one Patriot launcher could defend an airbase while a carrier needed four Arleigh Burke-class destroyers ignored the difference in defensive missile stocks. The smaller land-based reserve in that comparison would be exhausted sooner under repeated attacks. Expanding the comparison to an entire Patriot battery still left a substantial difference in the illustrative magazine totals. Destroyer loadouts also required an allowance for Tomahawks and other weapons, so their full launch capacity could not be counted as air-defense missiles. Defensive endurance therefore needed to be considered alongside the number of units assigned.
Notable Point · 2:10:16-2:13:22
Why defensive missile stocks matter when comparing bases and carriers
Comparing one Patriot unit with four destroyers overlooks how many missiles each force can expend before its defenses run short.