Alliance specialisation and missing mine-warfare capacity

A fleet list does not establish how many mine-warfare ships can respond to an overseas crisis. Ships must be crewed, worked up, clear of maintenance, and available beyond existing commitments. Protecting ballistic-missile submarines can absorb vessels before deployment distance is even considered. One interpretation of refusals to join the operation is that political objections concealed a shortage of deployable ships. If several allies assume somebody else will provide the same specialist capability, the coalition can face a common shortage.