What would a Royal Navy of 42 escorts require?

How much better off would the Royal Navy be if its destroyer and frigate classes had each retained numbers of about 21 ships?

Forty-two escorts would improve availability, but sustaining them would require different spending priorities and probably a more maritime British contribution to NATO, with fewer resources for the army and other capabilities.

A force of 21 destroyers and 21 frigates is judged sufficient for the Royal Navy's intended tasks and would ease force-generation problems. Sustaining that fleet is also associated with retaining more dry-dock capacity. A panel objection stresses that additional ships consume money and political capital that would otherwise support other capabilities, including carriers. Continuous construction could reduce some costs, although the larger fleet would still cost more overall. A Britain whose principal NATO contribution had been maritime power would provide a different basis for such a force than maintaining an army in Germany. That alternative would imply a much smaller army and an air force more focused on British air defence, with some long-range strike and patrol capability.