Fleet size and preparation for the war a navy expects to fight are different measures. Austria-Hungary fielded a comparatively small navy, yet its submarines and balanced force structure were closely tied to likely Adriatic missions. Larger navies could still take on tasks that exceeded the depth, logistics, or ships available to them. The Italian fleet is the other contender in this comparison because it also built with its regional opponent in mind. This framing explains why very old river monitors could remain useful parts of an otherwise coherent wartime force.
Notable Point · 57:22-58:34
Austro-Hungarian readiness came from planning for its likely war
The Austro-Hungarian Navy was modest in size but comparatively well prepared for its expected Adriatic missions, so readiness must be judged against strategy rather than fleet totals.