Large-scale exercises should give allied forces room to experiment instead of forcing them through a tightly scripted sequence. The cancellation of Fleet Problem XXII in 1941 ended the interwar series, while later revivals show the continuing value of testing fleets at scale. The original fleet problems carried public prestige and tangible bragging rights, which encouraged crews to compete seriously. Participants need a result and reward that feel consequential even when operational details remain classified.
Notable Point · 39:07-42:03
Competitive fleet exercises need freedom and real incentives
Open-ended experimentation and meaningful unit pride can make large fleet exercises more realistic.