Could Britain sustain a third escort-building factory?

Should additional air-defence escorts come from a third shipbuilding factory or a more bespoke yard?

The assessment is that Britain lacks enough sustained work for a third factory; another yard could build escorts while support-ship builders concentrate on auxiliaries.

A third escort factory would need a continuing flow of orders to remain viable. The proposed answer doubts that Britain could sustain another production line and considers Cammell Laird as a possible builder. It also points to the existing Type 26 yard as a source of future escort construction. Fleet Solid Support production should continue at its own yard because the auxiliaries are needed alongside combat ships.