Warship demand is described as rising after 2014 and accelerating after 2022, leaving established yards full. Different countries also draw on shared suppliers of engines, gearboxes, and power-supply modules, so a national yard depends on capacity beyond its own country. The industrial system had been reduced since 1993 around a lower level of demand. Harland and Wolff is discussed as occupied with large supply ships, with Appledore also involved in that programme. Other yards may have theoretical space, but rebuilding a reduced workforce requires hiring and training. That takes time even where physical facilities exist. Repeated gaps in procurement therefore complicate attempts to expand construction quickly.
Notable Point · 4:41:52-4:45:23
Why allied shipbuilding cannot expand quickly
Full yards, scarce propulsion components, and decades of lost infrastructure make rapid allied fleet expansion much harder than announcing more ships.