Three solid-support ships provide a bare starting point, and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary also needs more tankers. The low numbers come from the post-Cold War 'wars of choice' doctrine, which assumed Britain could generate forces on its own timetable. Events have invalidated that assumption, but procurement plans inherited from it still shape support capacity. Auxiliaries and floating dry docks belong to the same readiness problem because a combat fleet cannot surge without enough sustainment and repair assets.
Notable Point · 49:09-51:56
Wars-of-choice planning left too few auxiliaries
The Royal Navy's shortage of store ships, tankers, and dry docks is traced to a post-Cold War assumption that Britain could generate forces only when it chose to fight.